-archy Also -arch.
Government; rule of a particular type; a chief or ruler.
[Greek arkhēs, ruler; arkhein, to rule.]
Words in -archy are abstract nouns for types of government, leadership, or social influence or organization. They correspond to nouns in -arch for a person or people who rule or command in that way. For example, a monarch (Greek monos, alone or single) is a sovereign head of state, in a type of government called monarchy.
The ending is somewhat active, with terms being created for occasional use or wordplay, such as cupidarchy, a state built on cupidity, or ergonarchy (Greek ergon, work), one ruled by the work ethic.
For more examples, See also -cracy.
Examples of words in -archy
All word sources are Greek unless otherwise stated.
| anarchy | a state of disorder due to absence or non-recognition of authority, or absence of government and absolute freedom of the individual, regarded as a political ideal | an-, without |
| autarchy | a system of government by one person with absolute power | autos, self |
| eparchy | a province of the Orthodox Church | epi, above, so ‘rule from above’ |
| hierarchy | a system of authority in which members are ranked according to status | from hieros, sacred, since the earliest sense was that of a system of orders of angels and heavenly beings |
| matriarchy | a system of society or government ruled by a woman or women | Latin mater, mother, on a mistaken analogy with patriarchy |
| monarchy | a state with a sovereign head of state, especially a king, queen, or emperor | monos, alone or single |
| oligarchy | a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution; a place or body so ruled | oligoi, few |
| patriarchy | government by the father or eldest male | patria, family |
| squirearchy | landowners collectively, especially when considered as a class having political or social influence | English squire |
| synarchy | joint rule or government by two or more individuals or parties | sun-, together |
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