Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

tetrarch

American  
[te-trahrk, tee-] / ˈtɛ trɑrk, ˈti- /

noun

  1. any ruler of a fourth part, division, etc.

  2. a subordinate ruler.

  3. one of four joint rulers or chiefs.

  4. the ruler of the fourth part of a country or province in the ancient Roman Empire.


tetrarch British  
/ -kɪt, tɛˈtrɑːˌkeɪt, ˈtɛtrɑːk /

noun

  1. the ruler of one fourth of a country

  2. a subordinate ruler, esp of Syria under the Roman Empire

  3. the commander of one of the smaller subdivisions of a Macedonian phalanx

  4. any of four joint rulers

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of tetrarch

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, tetrarcha, tetrarke, from Late Latin tetrarcha, variant of Latin tetrarchēs, from Greek tetrárchēs; see tetr-, -arch

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

While there was no formal geographic division of leadership, each emperor or tetrarch had his own sphere of influence.

From Textbooks Apr. 19, 2023

The husky-voiced German tenor Gerhard A. Siegel was almost endearing as Herod, the tetrarch of Judea, Herodias’s husband, who is nearly undone by his yearning for his stepdaughter.

From New York Times Mar. 2, 2014

Con O'Neill as the roaring, bisexual tetrarch is not afraid to out-Herod Herod.

From The Guardian Jun. 24, 2010

The tetrarch leaned over and gazed into the unclosed eyes.

From Mary Magdalen by Saltus, Edgar

And as the last dolphin vanished and the seventh ball was removed, the palm was granted, and the spectators shouted a salutation to the giver of the games—Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee.

From Mary Magdalen by Saltus, Edgar

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training