Barlaam

B3A1R1L1A1A1M3

proper noun

A legendary saint in the tale of Barlaam and Josaphat.

Scrabble 11

Meanings

proper noun
  1. ChristianityA legendary saint in the tale of Barlaam and Josaphat.
  2. rareA male given name from Latin.

Origin

  1. Sanskritपुरोहित“priest”
  2. Sanskritभगवान्“God”
  3. Arabicبِلَوْهَر
  4. Georgianბალაჰვარ
  5. Medieval GreekΒαρλαάμ
  6. Medieval LatinBarlaam
  7. EnglishBarlaam

Unknown. The immediate source is Medieval Latin Barlaam, itself borrowed from Medieval Greek Βαρλαάμ (Barlaám) in the Byzantine Life of Barlaam and Josaphat (probably 11th c.), itself likely borrowed from Georgian ბალაჰვარ (balahvar). First attested c. 8th century as Arabic بِلَوْهَر (bilawhar), perhaps ultimately from Sanskrit भगवान् (bhagavān, “God”) or from Sanskrit पुरोहित (purohita, “priest”) via an unattested Middle Persian form.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

Barlaam. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Barlaam

MLA

“Barlaam.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Barlaam. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Barlaam,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Barlaam.

Source: Barlaam on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.