monarch

/ˈmɒˌnɑːk/MO-nahrk

/ˈmɑˌnɑɹk/MAH-nahrk

Meaningsole ruler

Common meaning: a sole ruler

monalone, singleLiddell & Scott, Greek-English Lexicon (1883), p. 977 · scan
archa beginning; rule, commandLiddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), p. 121 · scan

‘alone, single’ + ‘a beginning’ → monarch

Journey through time

Neither part’s path through time is traced in our sources yet; each root is shown from its dictionary entry.

mon — Greek μόνος “alone, single” (dictionary form; path not traced)
arch — Greek ἀρχή “a beginning; rule, command” (dictionary form; path not traced)

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Greek μόνος ‘alone, single’ + Greek ἀρχή ‘a beginning; rule, command’.

Did you know (Greek arche means…): our wording, based on Liddell & Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon (1889), entry ἀρχή, p. 121 · dictionary scan

Did you know (Greek monos, "alone,…): our wording, based on Liddell & Scott, Greek-English Lexicon (1883), entry μόνος, p. 977 · dictionary scan

Roots

μόνος Greek “alone, single”
ἀρχή Greek “a beginning; rule, command”

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app