English
archon
Archon comes from Ancient Greek ἄρχω ‘to rule’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄρχωárkhō‘to rule’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἄρχωνárkhōnnoun use of present participle of ἄρχω
- Englishearliest quotation 1922archon
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἄρχωárkhō‘to rule’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἄρχωνárkhōnnoun use of present participle of ἄρχω
- Englishearliest quotation 1922archon
Earliest quotation: 1922, James Joyce: “But neither the midwife’s lore nor the caudlectures saved…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- ‘to fit, put together’
order, ready, rate, reason, art, article, army, artist, arm, ratio, ordinary, alarm, coordinate, coordination, armor, harmony, subordinate, arthritis, articulate, ornament, ordination, arithmetic, ornate, inertia, inert, aristocratic, artisan, adorn, harmonic, ordinate, armament, harmonious, ordinator, articulation, ordinal, rta, armadillo, rime, ordain, ordo, 78 more
through Ancient Greek ἄρχω ‘to rule’
archive, anarchy, anarchist, archaic, archetype, archenemy, arche, 13 more
Today it means
noun A chief magistrate of ancient Athens.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek ἄρχω / archon