satrap

American  

[sey-trap, sa-] / ˈseɪ træp, ˈsæ- /

noun

1. a governor of a province under the ancient Persian monarchy.

2. a subordinate ruler, often a despotic one.

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satrap British  

/ ˈsætrəp /

noun

1. (in ancient Persia) a provincial governor

2. a subordinate ruler, esp a despotic one

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Etymology

Origin of satrap

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin satrapa < Greek satrápēs < Old Persian khshathra-pāvan- country-protector

Explanation

A governor of an ancient Persian province was called a satrap. These areas ruled by satraps were called "satrapies." The Persian emperor Cyrus the Great first chose satraps to rule individual provinces, around 530 BCE. Each satrap controlled a specific amount of land, collecting taxes and maintaining law and order. The word satrap continued to be used in various places, including India and East Asia, to refer to local rulers. The word comes from the Latin satrapes, with the Old Persian root xšathrapavan, "guardian of the realm," from xšathra-, "realm," and pavan-, "guardian."

Example Sentences

Each satrapy was administered by a royal governor called a satrap, usually a trusted Persian or Median noble.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

With Akhmad gone, Putin had a vacancy for a Chechen satrap, and Ramzan was perfect for the role.

From The Guardian • Sep. 23, 2015

Atta Mohammad Noor, a former warlord, is the immensely wealthy satrap of Balkh province in the north.

From Economist • Jul. 10, 2014

Medbouh, 44, was a wealthy satrap, not a struggling junior officer as Gaddafi had been before Libya's 1969 coup.

From Time Magazine Archive

I gave the satrap a handsome present, by which means I preserved my castle, and increased my possessions.

From Voltaire's Romances, Complete in One Volume by