Meanings
plural satraps
- derogatoryfigurativelyA subordinative ruler.
Hey, sir? Sir, excuse me?” The blonde was calling out to him, in imperious tones that insisted on a reply. Her satraps became watchful, like a Praetorian guard.
2001, Salman Rushdie, Fury: A Novel, London: Jonathan Cape, →ISBN, page 41 more example
Backed by an expansive and brutal security system, Mr. Lukashenko shows no sign of losing his grip at home, if at the cost of becoming Mr. Putin’s enfeebled satrap.
2022 February 19, Andrew Higgins, “Once He Kept Russia at a Distance. Now He Is a Docile Putin Satrap.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Old Median*xšaθrapāvan
- Ancient Greekσατράπης
- Latinsatrapēs“governor”
- Middle Englishsatrape
- Englishsatrap
From Middle English satrape, from Latin satrapēs (“governor”), from Ancient Greek σατράπης (satrápēs), from Old Median *xšaθrapāvan (literally “kingdom-protector”), which is cognate with Old Persian 𐎧𐏁𐏂𐎱𐎠𐎺𐎠 (xšaçapāvā); see there for more.
More words from Middle English, Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans satraap
- satraapgovernor of a Persian province
Ancient Greek σατράπης
- σατράπης (satrápēs)governor of a Persian province
Arabic سَاتْرَاب
- سَاتْرَاب (sātrāb)governor of a Persian province
Basque satrapa
- satrapagovernor of a Persian province
Bengali ক্ষত্রপ
- ক্ষত্রপ (khotrop)governor of a Persian province
Bulgarian сатрап
- сатрап (satrap)governor of a Persian province
Catalan sàtrapa
- sàtrapagovernor of a Persian province
Chinese Mandarin 總督 /总督, 太守
- 總督 /总督 (zǒngdū)governor of a Persian province
- 太守 (tàishǒu)governor of a Persian province
Czech satrapa
- satrapagovernor of a Persian province
Danish satrap
- satrapgovernor of a Persian province
Dutch satraap
- satraapgovernor of a Persian province
Finnish satraappi
- satraappigovernor of a Persian province
French satrape
- satrapegovernor of a Persian province
German Satrap
- Satrapgovernor of a Persian province
Greek σατράπης
- σατράπης (satrápis)governor of a Persian province
Hebrew אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפָּן
- אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפָּן (akhashdarpan)governor of a Persian province
Hindi क्षत्रप
- क्षत्रप (kṣatrap)governor of a Persian province
Italian satrapo
- satrapogovernor of a Persian province
Japanese サトラップ, 総督
- サトラップ (satorappu)governor of a Persian province
- 総督 (sōtoku)governor of a Persian province
- 太守 (taishu)governor of a Persian province
Korean 태수
- 태수 (taesu)governor of a Persian province
Latin satrapēs
- satrapēsgovernor of a Persian province
Latvian satraps
- satrapsgovernor of a Persian province
Norwegian satrap
- satrapgovernor of a Persian province
Persian ساتراپ, شهرب
- ساتراپ (sâtrâp)governor of a Persian province
- شهرب (šahrab)governor of a Persian province
Polish satrapa
- satrapagovernor of a Persian province
Portuguese sátrapa
- sátrapagovernor of a Persian province
Russian сатра́п
- сатра́п (satráp)governor of a Persian province
Spanish sátrapa
- sátrapagovernor of a Persian province
Swedish satrap
- satrapgovernor of a Persian province
Tagalog satrapa
- satrapagovernor of a Persian province
Thai เซแทร็ป
- เซแทร็ป (say tráep)governor of a Persian province
Ukrainian сатра́п
- сатра́п (satráp)governor of a Persian province
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
satrap. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/satrap
“satrap.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/satrap. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “satrap,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/satrap.
Source: satrap on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.