See also: άρχω

Ancient Greek

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Etymology

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Of disputed origin:

  • From Proto-Indo-European *h₂r̥-sḱe-ti (to start, rule), which appears to be an inchoative formation from *h₂er- (to fit, put together), thus to begin to fit together > to start, rule. Compare Old Armenian արքայ (arkʻay, king), which Matzinger considered inherited from Indo-European,[1] but which is generally thought to be ultimately a borrowing from Greek.
  • Alternatively from a root *h₂ergʰ- (to begin, rule, command), perhaps cognate with Lithuanian regė́ti (to watch, see). (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

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Verb

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ἄρχω (árkhō)

  1. (transitive) to begin [with genitive ‘something, from something, with something’]
  2. (transitive) to lead, rule, govern, command [with genitive or dative ‘someone’]
  3. (intransitive) to be ruler; to hold an archonship

Inflection

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Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Greek: άρχω (árcho) (learned)

References

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  1. ^ Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010) “ἄρχω”, in Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 10), with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 145-6

Further reading

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