ShortMeaning, pronunciation & vowel sounds
Anarchy Meaning & Pronunciation
/ˈænərki/ · noun
Anarchy is a state of disorder in which there is no effective government or authority. It can also name the political idea that a society should have no ruling government.
How to say it
How to pronounce anarchy
anarchy
The vowel breakdown
Vowel sounds in anarchy
Each vowel sound below shows the letters that spell it, the sound they make, and the phonics pattern behind it.
In the unstressed middle syllable, ar is reduced to a quick /ər/, not the full /ɑr/ of car.
Practise this pattern →Consonant notes
Ch says /k/ here because the word comes from Greek, as in chaos and echo. Learn more →
Definition
What does anarchy mean?
A state of disorder and lawlessness because there is no effective government or authority.
“After the dictator fled, the city fell into anarchy.”
The political belief that society should be organized without a ruling government, on the basis of voluntary cooperation.
“The philosopher argued that anarchy was possible only in very small communities.”
Word forms: anarchy · anarchic (adjective) · anarchism (noun)
In everyday speech anarchy usually means chaos. The political theory, called anarchism, is a more specific idea.
Where it comes from
Origin of anarchy
Anarchy comes from Greek anarkhia, meaning without a ruler (an- meaning without, and arkhos meaning ruler or leader).
Similar words
Frequently asked questions
What does anarchy mean?
Anarchy means a state of disorder with no effective government or authority. It can also refer to the political idea that society should have no ruling government.
How do you pronounce anarchy?
Anarchy is pronounced /ˈænərki/, or AN-er-kee, with the stress on the first syllable. The ch is a hard k sound.
Does anarchy always mean chaos?
In everyday use, yes, it usually means chaos or lawlessness. In political philosophy, anarchism is the belief that people can organize themselves peacefully without a government.
Why is ch pronounced as k in anarchy?
Because the word comes from Greek, where the letter chi was transliterated as ch. Other Greek-origin words with the same k sound include chaos, echo, and school.