Archon
/ˈɑːr.kɒn/noun
A ruler or magistrate, especially in ancient Greece.
Did you know?In Gnostic texts, archons became supernatural rulers or oppressive powers, giving this political title a dark afterlife far beyond Athens.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂erǵ-
“to begin, to rise, to be first”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἄρχω (árkhō)
“I begin; I rule”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἄρχων (árkhōn)
“ruler; magistrate”
Latin
Latin
archōn
“a Greek ruler or magistrate”
Modern English
English
archon
“a ruler or magistrate, especially in ancient Greece”