prop. n. 'Star of (clear) light'. >> gal-
Sindarin
Gil-galad
noun. star of radiance
Gil-galad
noun. 'Star of light'
Gil-galad
noun. 'Radiant Star
pl1. Gilgelaid** ** prop. n. 'Radiant Star(s), Star-light'. See also the (prob. primitive) form Gillingalati. >> galad
gil-galad
masculine name. Starlight, (lit.) Star of Radiance
Last high-king of the Noldor and leader of the elves in the Last Alliance against Sauron at the end of the Second Age (LotR/52). His name is a compound of S. gil “star” and S. galad “radiance, glittering reflection”, the latter also an element in the name S. Galadriel “Glittering-garland” (RGEO/65, Let/425). In The Lord of the Rings his name was translated “Starlight” (LotR/191) but elsewhere Tolkien translated this name in various ways all roughly with the meaning: “Star of Radiance” (PM/347), which was the translation used by Christopher Tolkien in The Silmarillion index (SI/Gil-galad).
Conceptual Development: This name appeared in The Etymologies from the 1930s as N. Gil-galad “Starlight” (Ety/GIL). At this stage, the final element was probably the lenited form of N. calad “light” (PE17/50), though N. galad also appeared in The Etymologies with the gloss “light” (EtyAC/GAL).
Derivations
- ✶Gillingalati “radiant stars, Gil-galad” ✧ PE17/050; PE17/152
Elements
Word Gloss gil “star; (bright) spark, silver glint, twinkle of light” galad “radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss, radiance, glittering reflection; light, fire, brightness, shining; bliss; [ᴱN.] dawn” Variations
- Gilgalad ✧ PE17/084; PE17/152; WJI/Gilgalad
Gil-galad
Gil-galad
Gil-galad is a Sindarin name, meaning "Star of bright light". The name consists of the elements gil ("star") + galad ("radiance"). According to a note this name was given to him because of the brightness of his eyes .
gilgalad
starlight
1) gilgalad (i ngilgalad = i ñilgalad, o n**gilgalad, pl. gilgelaid (in gilgelaid = i ñgilgelaid) if there is a plural form. 2) gilith (also used = Quenya Ilmen, the region of stars) (i ngilith = i ñilith, o n**gilith) _These mutations presupposed that the root is Ñ, as in MR:388, rather than _ as in the Etymologies (LR:358).
gilgalad
starlight
(i ngilgalad = i ñilgalad, o n’gilgalad, pl. gilgelaid (in gilgelaid = i ñgilgelaid) if there is a plural form.
gilith
starlight
(also used = Quenya Ilmen, the region of stars) (i ngilith = i ñilith, o n’gilith) These mutations presupposed that the root is
gîl (“star, bright spark”) + galad (“light, radiance”) Reinterpreted from gil + calad “star light” [Etym. KAL-]