Jump To:

• Archy
  Archy

  noun

  a first name, form of Archibald.
• -archy
  -archy

  a combining form meaning “rule,” “government,” forming abstract nouns usually corresponding to personal nouns ending in -arch:

Archy

¹ American  

[ahr-chee] / ˈɑr tʃi /

noun

1. a first name, form of Archibald.

---

-archy ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “rule,” “government,” forming abstract nouns usually corresponding to personal nouns ending in -arch:

   monarchy; oligarchy.

---

-archy British  

combining form

1. government; rule

   anarchy

   monarchy

---

Usage

What does -archy mean? The combining form -archy is used like a suffix meaning “rule” or "government." It is often used in technical terms, especially in sociology. The form -archy comes from Greek -archēs, meaning “rule, government.”What are variants of -archy?While -archy doesn't have any variants, it is related to the form -arch, as in matriarch. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for -arch.

Other Word Forms

• -archic
  combining form
• -archist
  combining form

---

Etymology

Origin of -archy

Middle English -archie < Latin -archia < Greek, equivalent to arch ( os ) or -arch ( ēs ) -arch + -ia -y ³

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Archy

The company’s new voice assistant, Archy, is part of its Google-powered ArchIQ system and can take drive-thru orders in English and Spanish.

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026

Archy, a San Jose, Calif.-based AI platform for dental practice management, scored $50 million in Series C funding.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

“How long did it take to realize something so obvious, so easy to predict, so blindingly stupid?” asked Archy Dosburg.

From Fox News ● Apr. 26, 2019

They've spent the last hour trying to rehearse for a Boiler Room session, but Archy Marshall, better known as King Krule, didn't turn up to practise one of the tracks they've recorded together.

From The Guardian ● May 24, 2013

Ursula Granger had given birth to a boy named Archy, who later died.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---