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Apr 14, 2005
This week's theme
Words relating to religion

This week's words
pontificate
colporteur
catholicity
hagiarchy
latitudinarian

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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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