archprince
|arch-prince|
🇺🇸
/ˈɑrtʃ.prɪns/
🇬🇧
/ˈɑːtʃ.prɪns/
chief prince / leading prince
Etymology
'archprince' is formed in English from the prefix 'arch-' and the noun 'prince'. 'arch-' originates from Greek, specifically the root 'arkh-' (e.g. ἄρχω / ἄρχων) meaning 'chief, principal'; 'prince' originates from Latin 'princeps'.
'archprince' developed in English by compounding the Greek-derived prefix 'arch-' (used in titles like 'archbishop') with Middle English/Old French-derived 'prince' (from Latin 'princeps'), yielding a term meaning 'chief prince'. Over time it has also been used figuratively.
Initially, it denoted literally a 'chief' or highest-ranking prince; over time it has also come to be used figuratively to mean the leading or foremost person in a category (often with negative connotations, e.g. 'archprince of thieves').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a chief or principal prince; a prince of the highest rank or preeminence within a royal or ruling family.
He was regarded as the archprince of the realm, second only to the sovereign.
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Noun 2
(figurative) A leading or foremost figure in a particular category, often used negatively (e.g., the archprince of thieves) to mean the principal culprit or ringleader.
The newspapers labeled him the archprince of corruption in the city administration.
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Last updated: 2025/10/08 15:44