aristocracy

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromἀριστοκρατίᾱ“the rule of the best“, that is, “the best-born”, “nobility”
2. Medieval Latin · derived fromaristocratia
3. Middle French · borrowed fromaristocratie
4. English todayaristocracy

Borrowed from Middle French aristocratie, from Medieval Latin aristocratia, from Ancient Greek ἀριστοκρατίᾱ (aristokratíā, “the rule of the best“, that is, “the best-born”, “nobility”), from ἄριστος (áristos, “best, noblest”) + -κρατίᾱ (-kratíā), from κράτος (krátos, “power, rule”). By surface analysis, aristo- + -cracy.

Words from the same roots