Where does “patriarch” come from?
Patriarch comes from Late Latin patriarcha, from Ancient Greek πατριάρχης, combining πατριά (family group) and πατήρ (father), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ph₂tḗr meaning father.
patriarch (English): The highest form of bishop, in the ancient world...
Definitions
- The highest form of bishop, in the ancient world...
Ancestry of “patriarch”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | patriarche | patriarch |
| 2 | Latin | patriarcha | patriarch |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | πατριάρχης | a patriarch |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -άρχης | -arch |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -ής | adjective suffix |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -ēs | Primarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -ess | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -os | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;... |