tanist: Meaning and Definition of

tan•ist

Pronunciation: (tan'ist, thô'nist), [key]
— n. Hist.
  1. the successor apparent to a Celtic chief, usually the oldest or worthiest of his kin, chosen by election among the tribe during the chief 's lifetime.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.