archelaus
|ar-keel-us|
🇺🇸
/ɑrˈkiːləs/
🇬🇧
/ɑːˈkiːləs/
(Archelaus)
leader of the people (proper name)
Etymology
'Archelaus' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the name 'Ἀρχέλαος' (Archelaos), where 'ἀρχή' (archē) meant 'rule' or 'beginning' and 'λαός' (laos) meant 'people'.
'Ἀρχέλαος' was Latinized as 'Archelaus' in classical and ecclesiastical Latin and entered English usage via references to ancient histories and the Bible; the form has remained largely unchanged.
Initially it meant 'ruler/leader of the people' as a compound name; over time it has remained a proper name referring to specific historical individuals rather than a common noun meaning 'leader'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a male proper name of Greek origin borne by several historical figures in antiquity and classical sources.
Archelaus appears in several ancient chronicles as the name of different rulers.
Noun 2
specifically, Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, who served as ethnarch (a regional ruler) of Judea in the period around the turn of the era.
Archelaus, the son of Herod, was deposed and banished by the Romans.
Noun 3
a historical name borne by rulers such as Archelaus I of Macedon and other Hellenistic-era figures.
Archelaus I of Macedon carried out reforms that strengthened the kingdom.
Last updated: 2025/10/05 16:20