pentarchy

P3E1N1T1A1R1C3H4Y4

noun

Government by five persons.

Similar
government
OriginLate Latin pentarchia ← Ancient Greek πενταρχίᾱ ← Middle French pentarchie →
Scrabble 19
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Meanings

pentarchy1

nounpentarchy (plural pentarchies)

plural pentarchies

  1. governmentGovernment by five persons.
  2. A governing body consisting of five persons.
  3. A federation of five nations, each under its own government or ruler.

Pentarchy2

proper nounthe Pentarchy
  1. A model of Church organization historically championed in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
government
Narrower
government

Origin

  1. Middle Frenchpentarchie
  2. Ancient Greekπενταρχίᾱ
  3. Late Latinpentarchia
  4. Englishpentarchy

From Late Latin pentarchia, from Ancient Greek πενταρχίᾱ (pentarkhíā), from πεντα- (penta-, “penta-, five”) + -αρχίᾱ (-arkhíā, “-archy, rule”), perhaps via Middle French pentarchie. Equivalent to pent- + -archy.

More words from Late Latin, Ancient Greek, Middle French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish pentarkia
  • pentarkiaTranslations
French pentarchie, Pentarchie
  • pentarchieTranslations
  • Pentarchiemodel of Church organization historically championed in the Eastern Orthodox Church
German Pentarchie, Pentarchie
  • PentarchieTranslations
  • Pentarchiemodel of Church organization historically championed in the Eastern Orthodox Church
Greek πενταρχία
  • πενταρχία (pentarchía)Translations
Italian pentarchia, Pentarchia
  • pentarchiaTranslations
  • Pentarchiamodel of Church organization historically championed in the Eastern Orthodox Church
Portuguese pentarquia
  • pentarquiaTranslations
Russian пента́рхия, Пента́рхия
  • пента́рхия (pentárxija)Translations
  • Пента́рхия (Pentárxija)model of Church organization historically championed in the Eastern Orthodox Church
Spanish pentarquía
  • pentarquíaTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

pentarchy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pentarchy

MLA

“pentarchy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pentarchy. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pentarchy,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pentarchy.

Source: pentarchy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.