government; rule: anarchy, monarchy
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
-archy,
- a combining form meaning "rule,'' "government,'' forming abstract nouns that correspond to personal nouns ending in -arch: monarchy;
oligarchy;
patriarchy.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Ar•chy
(är′chē),USA pronunciation n.
-archy,
- a male given name, form of Archibald.
-archy,
- a combining form meaning "rule,'' "government,'' forming abstract nouns usually corresponding to personal nouns ending in -arch: monarchy;
oligarchy.
- Greek, equivalent. to arch(os) or -arch(ēs) -arch + -ia -y3
- Latin -archia
- Middle English -archie
'-archy' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Archy
- Dual Monarchy
- Fifth Monarchy Men
- Marquis
- absolute monarchy
- antimonarchy
- autarchy
- constitutional monarchy
- despotic monarchy
- diarchy
- dinarchy
- duarchy
- endarch
- fifth monarchy
- gynarchy
- hagiarchy
- heptarchy
- hexarchy
- hierarchy
- hyperanarchy
- limited monarchy
- matriarchy
- octarchy
- oligarchy
- pentarchy
- polyarchy
- proanarchy
- promonarchy
- squirearchy
- thearchy
- triarchy