tanist stone
Preserved but no longer current.
The monolith erected by the ancient Gaelic kings at their coronation; especially that called Uafail, which, according to tradition, is identical with the famous stone of Scone (^.v.), now forming part of the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey. It is said to have been set up at Icolmkil for the coronation of Fergus I of Scotland, a con- temporary of Alexander the Great (about 300 B.C.), and son of Ferchard, King of Ireland.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “tanist stone” mean?
The monolith erected by the ancient Gaelic kings at their coronation; especially that called Uafail, which, according to tradition, is identical with the famous stone of Scone (^.v.), now forming part of the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey. It is said to have been set up at Icolmkil for the coronation of Fergus I of Scotland, a con- temporary of Alexander the Great (about 300 B.C.), and son of Ferchard, King of Ireland.
Is “tanist stone” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.