pharaoh

noun

pha·​raoh ˈfer-(ˌ)ō  ˈfā-(ˌ)rō 

often capitalized

1

: a ruler of ancient Egypt

2

: tyrant

Synonyms

• caesar
• despot
• dictator
• führer
• fuehrer
• oppressor
• strongman
• tyrannizer
• tyrant

Examples of pharaoh in a Sentence

like some pharaoh of a third-world country, more interested in building monuments to himself than in creating a future for his people

Recent Examples on the Web

Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered a pharaoh’s tomb, the first excavation of a royal burial chamber there since the discovery of Tutankhamen’s in 1922. —Melissa Kirsch, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025

One of my favorite vacations of all time, there’s nothing quite like seeing the ancient pyramids and pharaohs’ tombs in the Valley of the Kings in person. —Hannah Freedman, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2025

The city and temple were established by the pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus between 280 and 270 B.C.E. in honor of the god. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Jan. 2025

My land is made up of goldsmiths who worked in the time of the Egyptian pharaohs and of the first artists in the world in Chiribiquete. —Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pharao, from Old English, from Late Latin pharaon-, pharao, from Greek pharaō, from Hebrew parʽōh, from Egyptian pr-ʽʾ̹

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing pharaoh

• pharaoh ant

Rhymes for pharaoh

• aero
• faro
• garo
• marrow
• narrow
• sparrow
• taro
• bolero
• bracero
• estero
• herero
• montero

Kids Definition

pharaoh

noun

pha·​raoh ˈfe(ə)r-ō  ˈfa(ə)r- 

ˈfā-rō

often capitalized

: a ruler of ancient Egypt

Etymology

Old English pharao "pharaoh," from Latin pharaon-, pharao (same meaning), from Greek pharaō (same meaning), from Hebrew par'ōh "pharaoh," of Egyptian origin