Anarchy

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈænÉ™ki/
• US enPR: ănʹär-kÄ“, IPA: /ˈænɑɹki/

Origin

New Latin anarchia, from Ancient Greek ἀναρχία, from ἀν- (an-, "not"), + ἀρχή (arkhē, "power, authority").

Full definition of anarchy

Noun

1. (uncountable) The state of a society being without authorities or an authoritative governing body.
2. (uncountable) Anarchism; the political theory that a community is best organized by the voluntary cooperation of individuals, rather than by a government, which is regarded as being coercive by nature.
3. (countable) A chaotic and confusing absence of any form of political authority or government.
4. Confusion in general; disorder.

Usage notes

(confusion or misunderstanding in general) Anarchists feel it is inappropriate to use anarchy to mean “a state of chaos or confusion”. However, this has historically been a common use of the word.

Synonyms

• see

Antonyms

• (all senses) nonanarchy rare
• (disorder) order

Derived terms

• anarchic
• anarchical
• anarchically
• anarchism
• anarchist
• anarcho-