

Apr 14, 2005 This week's theme

Words relating to religion



This week's words

pontificate

colporteur

catholicity

hagiarchy

latitudinarian

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RSS/XML Words relating to religion A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg



hagiarchy PRONUNCIATION: (HAG-ee-ar-kee, HAY-jee-)

MEANING: noun: A government by holy persons. Also a place thus governed.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek hagi- (holy) + -archy (rule). Earliest documented use: 1826.

NOTES: Two synonyms of this term are hagiocracy and hierocracy. Also, literally speaking, hierarchy is the rule of the high priest.

USAGE: "Brazil's drug lords are altar boys compared with the Mexican and Colombian hagiarchy."

Mac Margolis; Brazil's New Drug Habit; Newsweek International; May 28, 2001.

See more usage examples of hagiarchy in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.



A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: It is human nature to hate the man whom you have hurt. -Publius Cornelius Tacitus, historian (c.55-c.120)





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