exarch

1 of 3

noun (1)

ex·​arch ˈek-ˌsärk 

1

: a Byzantine viceroy

2

: an Eastern bishop ranking below a patriarch and above a metropolitan

specifically : the head of an independent church

exarchal

ek-ˈsär-kəl 

adjective

exarchate

ˈek-ˌsär-kət 

noun

exarchy

ˈek-ˌsär-kē 

noun

exarch

2 of 3

adjective

: formed or taking place from the periphery toward the center

exarch xylem

exarchate

3 of 3

noun (2)

ex·​arch·​ate ˈekˌsärˌkāt 

-rkə̇t

plural -s

: the office or the province of an exarch

Examples of exarch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In that last phase, the city was the capital of a territory called the exarchate, whose commander, the exarch, was sent from Constantinople. — Anthony Kaldellis, WSJ, 11 Dec. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Late Latin exarchus, from Late Greek exarchos, from Greek, leader, from exarchein to begin, take the lead, from ex- + archein to rule, begin — more at arch-

Adjective

exo- + -arch

Noun (2)

Medieval Latin exarchatus, from Late Latin exarchus + Latin -atus -ate

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1891, in the meaning defined above