English
anarchist
Anarchist comes from French anarchiste ‘anarchistic’, from Ancient Greek ἄναρχος ‘without a ruler’, and ultimately from ἄρχω ‘to lead’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄρχωárkhō‘to lead’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀρχήarkhḗ‘rule’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἄναρχοςánarkhos‘without a ruler’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀναρχίαanarkhía‘lawlessness, anarchy’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentanarchie‘anarchy, absence of any form of political authority or government’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentanarchiste‘anarchistic’
- Englishearliest quotation 1849anarchist
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄρχωárkhō‘to lead’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀρχήarkhḗ‘rule’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἄναρχοςánarkhos‘without a ruler’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀναρχίαanarkhía‘lawlessness, anarchy’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentanarchie‘anarchy, absence of any form of political authority or government’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentanarchiste‘anarchistic’
- Englishearliest quotation 1849anarchist
Earliest quotation: 1849, 1840, Caractères de la communauté et de la propriété: “Eh bien ! vous êtes démocrate ? — Non.…”
Formed from anarchy + -ist
Ancient Greek ἄρχω ‘to begin, to be first in order’
Ancient Greek ἀρχή ‘beginning, origin’
Ancient Greek ἄναρχος ‘without leader’
Ancient Greek ἀναρχία ‘lack of a leader’
New Latin anarchia ‘the state of not having a ruler or leader’
English anarchy
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ergʰ-
through Ancient Greek ἄρχω ‘to lead’
through Ancient Greek ἀρχή ‘rule’
Today it means
noun One who believes in or advocates the absence of hierarchy and authority in most forms (compare anarchism), especially one who works toward the realization of such.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἄρχω / anarchist