n.
Pronunciation: ' ek- ˌ särk
Function: noun
Etymology: Late Latin exarchus, from Late Greek exarchos, from Greek, leader, from exarchein to begin, take the lead, from ex- + archein to rule, begin ― more at ARCH-
Date: 1588
1 : a Byzantine viceroy
2 : an Eastern bishop ranking below a patriarch and above a metropolitan specifically : the head of an independent church
– ex · ar · chal \ ek- ' sär-k ə l \ adjective
– ex · arch · ate \ ' ek- ˌ sär-k ə t \ noun
– ex · ar · chy \ ' ek- ˌ sär-k ē \ noun