𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀

Old Turkic

Etymology

From 𐰋𐰃𐰠 (bil-, “to know”) + 𐰏𐰀- (-ge). Cognate with Turkish bilge (“wise, sage”).

Noun

𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀 (bilge)

1. wise, counselor, advisor
   • 8th century CE, Tonyukuk Inscription, IS7

     𐰋𐰠𐰏𐰾𐰃:𐰲𐰉𐰾𐰃:𐰋𐰤:𐰜:𐰼𐱅𐰢

     bilgesi:čabïšï:ben:ök:ertim

     I, myself, was his advisor and commander.

Proper noun

𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀 (Bilge)

1. Bilge Khagan, a khagan of the Second Turkic Khaganate
   • 8th century CE, Kültegin Inscription, S1

     𐱅𐰭𐰼𐰃:𐱅𐰏:𐱅𐰭𐰼𐰃𐰓𐰀:𐰉𐰆𐰞𐰢𐱁:𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰜:𐰋𐰃𐰠𐰏𐰀:𐰴𐰍𐰣:𐰉𐰆:𐰇𐰓𐰚𐰀:𐰆𐰞𐰺𐱃𐰢

     teŋri:teg:teŋride:bolmuš:türük:bilge:qaɣan:bu:ödke:olurtum

     I, the God-like and Heaven-born Turkic Bilge Khagan, succeeded to the throne at this time.

2. a male given name

References

• Tekin, Talât (1968) “bilgä”, in A Grammar of Orkhon Turkic (Uralic and Altaic Series; 69), Bloomington: Indiana University, →ISBN, page 313
• Clauson, Gerard (1972) “bilge”, in An Etymological Dictionary of pre-thirteenth-century Turkish, Oxford: Clarendon Press, page 340