Galahad
/ˈɡæləhæd/noun
A legendary knight of King Arthur’s court, portrayed as the purest quester for the Holy Grail.
Did you know?Galahad is not one of Arthur’s earliest Welsh heroes: he appears prominently in the 13th-century French Grail romances as Lancelot’s son and the knight destined to complete the quest.
Etymological Timeline
Early medieval period
Welsh
Gwalchafed / Gwalchavad
“A proposed Welsh source or parallel for the later name; its exact meaning and relationship to Galahad remain debated.”
12th Century
Old French
Galaad
“A developing Arthurian name appearing in French literary tradition.”
13th Century
Old French
Galahad
“The name of Lancelot’s son, introduced as the exceptionally pure knight of the Grail quest.”
13th Century
Anglo-Norman English
Galahad
“The name entered English Arthurian retellings through French romance.”
Modern English
English
Galahad
“A legendary knight and, figuratively, a model of idealized purity, courage, or chivalry.”
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