English
hierarch
Hierarch comes from Medieval Latin hierarcha ‘member of a hierarchy’, from Ancient Greek ἱερός ‘holy’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ish₁ros.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ish₁ros‘holy’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*iherós‘holy, divine’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἱερός‘holy’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἱεράρχηςhierárkhēs
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500hierarcha‘member of a hierarchy’
- Englishearliest quotation 2016hierarch
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ish₁ros‘holy’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*iherós‘holy, divine’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἱερός‘holy’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἱεράρχηςhierárkhēs
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500hierarcha‘member of a hierarchy’
- Englishearliest quotation 2016hierarch
Earliest quotation: 2016, Peter Jesserer Smith, Pope’s Canon-Law Change Strengthens East and West: “The law states that the local ordinary can give…”
The story
There are a number of candidate cognates with this word.
Linked words
through Ancient Greek ἱερός ‘holy’
Today it means
noun One who has high and controlling authority in sacred things; the chief of a sacred order.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ish₁ros / hierarch