Etymograph

English

Gilead

Gilead comes from Hebrew גִּלְעָד.

  1. Hebrew1880s–presentגִּלְעָדgilʻád
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1611Gilead

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Hebrew1880s–presentגִּלְעָדgilʻád
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1611Gilead

Earliest quotation: 1611, The Holy Bible, London: […] Robert Barker: “Is there no balme in Gilead? is there no…”

The story

For sense 3, the fictional Gilead theocracy from "The Handmaid's Tale" named itself as such because it presented its oppressive policies as "healing" for a fertility crisis.

Every English word from Hebrew גִּלְעָד

Today it means

name A region east of the Jordan river.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Hebrew גִּלְעָד / Gilead

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