A Gael is a member of a distinct culture existing in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man whose language is one that is Gaelic. The word in English was adopted in 1810 from Scots gaedheal (compare Irish gaoidheal) to designate a Highlander (OED). Gael or Gaoidheal was first used as a collective term to describe people from Ireland; it was a Welsh word, meaning raiders.
