archein

Archein, from the Greek verb arc̄hein (ἄρχειν), means to rule, govern, or to begin. Its noun form archē (ἀρχή) denotes a beginning, origin, or first principle. The root arch- underlies English terms such as monarch, oligarchy, and hierarchy, all connected to the sense of order, authority, or founding that the verb conveys.

In ancient Greek philosophy, archē and archein are central to the search for a first principle of reality. Early thinkers sought a single archē to explain the nature of the world; for example, thinkers associated archē with water, air, or the boundless as the primary source of all things. Later, Aristotle expanded the idea of archē as a general category of primary principle or cause that underpins change and persistence in natural things and in human reasoning.

Linguistically, archein appears in both political and cosmological contexts: a ruler archein a city, or a cosmic archē thought to determine the properties of beings. The concept influenced subsequent metaphysical and systematic thought, where archē is treated as the underlying source or organizing principle behind phenomena, often in dialogue with other notions such as form, becoming, or logos.

Today, archē remains a fundamental term in the study of ancient philosophy, the history of ideas about origin and order, and the etymology of words that denote governance and principled explanation. It highlights the enduring question of what constitutes the basic source of reality and authority in Greek thought.