Etymologically

Etymology and origin of the Latin word satrapia

Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1st century AD, Curtius
Borrowed from
Ancient Greek σατραπεία
Ultimate origin
Ancient Greek σατραπεία

Forms

satrapīa f (genitive satrapīae); first declension[1][2] Curtius uses the form satrapēa.[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek σατραπεία (satrapeía),[1][2][4][5] the Greek word for the office of a satrapēs.[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler finds it first in Curtius,[4] who uses the form satrapēa several times.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Pliny the Elder uses the form satrapīa,[2][3] as does Julius Valerius in the 4th century.[2][4] It survives in Italian satrapia.[6]

Timeline

  • 1st century AD – Curtius uses the form satrapēa.[2][4]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses the form satrapīa.[2][3][4]
  • 4th century AD – Julius Valerius uses it.[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The office or province of a satrap, a satrapy.[1][2][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  3. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
  6. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Satrapia.” Etymologically, 21 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/satrapia. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·