gilead
gilead Lexical Profile
• noun
A fictional, totalitarian, and theocratic country that replaces the United States in Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel 'The Handmaid's Tale'.
"The handmaids in the Republic of Gilead are stripped of their identities and forced into reproductive servitude."
A mountainous historical region east of the Jordan River in modern-day Jordan, referenced in the Bible and renowned for producing a highly valued healing balm.
"In the Old Testament, the nomadic tribes sought pasture for their flocks in the fertile hills of Gilead."
Word Nuance & Usage
Most commonly encountered today in literary contexts referencing the dystopian setting of Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale', or in the biblical phrase 'balm of Gilead' signifying a universal cure.
• Rhymes for gilead
Word Origin & Etymology
From Hebrew 'Gil'ad', meaning 'hill of testimony' or 'rocky region', originally referring to a mountainous region east of the Jordan River in the Bible.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.