English
toparchy
Toparchy comes from Ancient Greek τοπαρχία ‘district ruled by a τοπάρχης’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτοπαρχίαtoparkhía‘district ruled by a τοπάρχης’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtoparchia
- Englishearliest quotation 1642toparchy
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτοπαρχίαtoparkhía‘district ruled by a τοπάρχης’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtoparchia
- Englishearliest quotation 1642toparchy
Earliest quotation: 1642, Thomas Fuller, The Holy State: “confining the monarchy of Christ in the Gospel unto…”
A compound of τόπος ‘place’ + ἀρχή ‘rule’
Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- ‘to fit, put together’
Proto-Indo-European *h₂r̥-sḱe-ti ‘to start, rule’
Ancient Greek ἄρχω ‘to begin, to be first in order’
Ancient Greek ἀρχή ‘rule’
Every English word from Ancient Greek τοπαρχία
Today it means
noun A small state, consisting of a few cities or towns; a petty country governed by a toparch.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek τοπαρχία / toparchy