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tet·rarch

(tĕträrk′, tēträrk′)

a. A subordinate ruler.

b. One of four joint rulers.

2. A governor of one of four divisions of a country or province, especially in the ancient Roman Empire.

3. The commander of a subdivision of a phalanx in ancient Greece.

[Middle English tetrarche, a Roman tetrarch, from Old French, from Late Latin tetrarcha, from Latin tetrarchēs, from Greek tetrarkhēs : tetra-, tetra- + -arkhēs, -arch.]

te·trarchic (tĕ-trärkĭk, tē-) adj.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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