aristocracy

An elite social class, or government by that class.

Played on 14 October 2026 · Day 39 · word 4 of 5

Who counts as the best?

How aristocracy reached English

oldest first

combined

Greek
aristokratia
‘government or rule of the best’
into Late Latin
Late Latin
aristocratia
into Middle French
Middle French
aristocratie
into English
English
aristocracy
‘government by the best individuals or by a small privileged class’

Greek aristokratia combines the idea of the best with an ending built on power. English received French and Late Latin forms.

Kratos is the deeper source of the compound ending -kratia.

Merriam-Webster: aristocracy
The compound contains aristos and -kratia; French and Late Latin contributed.
Merriam-Webster: -cracy
Greek kratos is the deeper source of the governmental ending.
Online Etymology Dictionary: -cracy
Also built on *-cracy* (Greek -kratia, from kratos): democracy, autocracy, bureaucracy

The literal name is a claim about fitness to govern, not proof of it.

Every day, everyone gets the same five words.