Etymology Map
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Pharaoh

3 stages from Egyptian to English.

Today it means an ancient Egyptian king

Where does the word "pharaoh" come from? It comes from Egyptian pr-ʿꜣ, passing through Greek before entering English (1000s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
pr-ʿꜣ
Egyptian · ancient
"great house"
Egyptian: the royal palace, then the king himself
2
Stage 2 of 3
pharaō
Greek · ancient
"pharaoh"
used in the Greek Bible for Egypt's kings
3
Stage 3 of 3
pharaoh
English · 1000s
"Egyptian king"
the Old English form was 'Pharon'
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Read the full story

Pharaoh’s story begins in Egyptian: pr-ʿꜣ meant “great house.” Egyptian: the royal palace, then the king himself. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Greek as pharaō. Used in the Greek Bible for Egypt's kings. It reached English by 1000s as pharaoh. The Old English form was 'Pharon'. Today, pharaoh means an ancient Egyptian king.