Jedi

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A member of a noble order of warriors trained in the use of the Force in a popular science fiction universe
2. An individual skilled in the ways of a mystical energy that binds the galaxy, often depicted as a peacekeeper
3. A character type known for wielding lightsabers and adhering to a philosophy of compassion and balance in an imaginative narrative

Etymology: George Lucas coined "Jedi" for the knightly order in his Star Wars films, and he did so as early as 1973, when it appeared in a manuscript he titled Journal of the Whills. The word's exact source is still debated. Several candidates have been proposed, and one of the most cited is Japanese "jidaigeki," the term for period dramas about samurai, which would fit the film's swordsmen. Edgar Rice Burroughs's Barsoom novels offer another possibility, with their titles "Jed" (king) and "Jeddak" (emperor), a series Lucas had considered adapting to film. Other proposals come from further afield. The Hebrew "yadid," meaning "beloved" or "male friend," has been suggested by the researcher Michael Kaminski, who points out that Lucas has cited Jewish mysticism as an influence and may have been drawn to the idea of his heroes as beloved protectors. Egyptian "Djedi," a legendary magician whose name literally means "he who endures," has also been put forward as a possible inspiration. No single source has been confirmed, so the word's origin remains a matter of informed guesswork rather than documented fact.