A filí was a poet in early Irish society, distinct from a bard and holding higher status.
The filí served as keeper of genealogies, historian, and praise-poet to kings and nobles, wielding considerable social power—their satire could damage reputations, their praise confer legitimacy.
The word survives in modern Irish for poet generally.
filíserf
Bonded agricultural laborer
slave · mug · commoner · peasant · illiterate
IDEA.org / Words / filí
A filí was a poet in early Irish society, distinct from a bard and holding higher status.
The filí served as keeper of genealogies, historian, and praise-poet to kings and nobles, wielding considerable social power—their satire could damage reputations, their praise confer legitimacy.
The word survives in modern Irish for poet generally.
social/professional statusfilí ≠ serf Bonded agricultural laborer; slave · mug · commoner · peasant · illiterate
relationship to knowledge and learningfilí ≠ illiterate Cannot read or write; unlettered · ignoramus · manual laborer · farm worker
poetic tradition hierarchyfilí ≠ bard Poet of epics; wandering minstrel
Word data: Linguabase (CC0) · www.idea.org/words/fil%C3%AD