Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “monarchy” come from?

Monarchy comes from Old French monarchie, from Latin monarchia, from Ancient Greek μοναρχία, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to rule or have power.

monarchy (English): A government in which sovereignty is embodied...

Definitions

  1. A government in which sovereignty is embodied...

Ancestry of “monarchy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchmonarchie—
2Latinmonarchiamonarchy
3Ancient Greekμοναρχίαmonarchy
4Ancient Greekμόναρχοςking, monarch; commander, general; dictator
5Ancient Greekμόνοςalone, forsaken, solitary; only; unique
6Ancient Greekσπέρμαseed; semen, sperm; seed-time, sowing
7Proto-Hellenic*spérmə—

Words derived from “monarchy”

  • monarchic
  • antimonarchic
  • antimonarchy
  • nonmonarchic
  • July Monarchy
  • nonmonarchy
Every word from Proto-Hellenic *spérmə →