heresiarch

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromαἵρεσῐς“heresy”
2. Medieval Greek · derived fromαἱρεσιάρχης“leader of a sect”
3. Ecclesiastical Latin · derived fromhaeresiarcha
4. French · borrowed fromhérésiarque
5. English todayheresiarch

Borrowed from French hérésiarque, from Ecclesiastical Latin haeresiarcha (or directly from the Latin word), from ecclesiastical Medieval Greek αἱρεσιάρχης (hairesiárkhēs, “leader of a sect”), from Ancient Greek αἵρεσῐς (haíresĭs, “heresy”) + -ᾰ́ρχης (-ắrkhēs, “leader, ruler”), corresponding to heresy + -arch.

First known use, by meaning

• from mid 16th c. The founder of a heresy, or a major ecclesiastical proponent of such a heresy.