pharaoh
nounAU, UK /ˈfɛː.ɹəʊ/ · US /ˈfɛɹ(ˌ)oʊ/
Etymology From Middle English pharao (also as pharaon, farao, faraon, etc.), from Old English Pharao, from Late Latin Pharaō, from Koine Greek Φαραώ (Pharaṓ), from Biblical Hebrew פַּרְעֹה (Parʿō), from Egyptian pr:aA (pr-ꜥꜣ, “palace; pharaoh”, literally “pr (“house”) + ꜥꜣ (“great, big”)”)
1
Historical The supreme ruler of Ancient Egypt; a formal address for the sovereign seat of power as personified by the "king" in an institutional role of Horus son of Osiris; often used by metonymy for Ancient Egyptian sovereignty
- Instances: see Thesaurus:pharaoh
- And the Egyptians ſhall know that I am the Lord, when I haue gotten me honour vpon Pharaoh, vpon his charets, and vpon his horſemen.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Exodus 14:18, column 1:
2
Card games, Games The card game faro.
- "I pray, when I play pharaoh at White's, that the cards fall as they have come to my hand in this large gamble," Anstis said.1945, Robert Hardy Andrews, Burning gold:
- Synonyms
- pharaoh
- Derived terms
- pharaoh ant, pharaohess
- Related terms
- pharaonic
- Hypernyms
- ruler
- Hyponyms
- pharaohess