gallowglass

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noun

A mercenary warrior élite among Gaelic-Norse clans residing in the Western Isles of Scotland and Scottish Highlands from the mid 13th century to the end of the 16th century.

OriginIrish gallóglach →
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

noungallowglass (plural gallowglasses or gallowglass)

plural gallowglasses · alternative galloglass

  1. historicalA mercenary warrior élite among Gaelic-Norse clans residing in the Western Isles of Scotland and Scottish Highlands from the mid 13th century to the end of the 16th century.

    The multiplying villanies of nature / Do swarm upon him--from the western isles/ Of kerns and gallowglasses is supplied.

    c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]

Origin

  1. Irishgallóglach“foreign soldier”
  2. Englishgallowglass

From Irish gallóglach (“foreign soldier”), from Gall (“foreigner, non-Gaelic person”) + óglách (“soldier”).

More words from Irish

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Irish gallóglach
  • gallóglachTranslations
Russian галлогла́с
  • галлогла́с (galloglás)Translations
Cite this entry
APA

gallowglass. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gallowglass

MLA

“gallowglass.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gallowglass. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gallowglass,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gallowglass.

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