heptarchy

noun

hep·​tar·​chy ˈhep-ˌtär-kē How to pronounce heptarchy (audio)
: a hypothetical confederacy of seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of the seventh and eighth centuries

Examples of heptarchy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The United States is made up of fifty states instead of a heptarchy of feuding kings. Matt Ford, The New Republic, 19 Apr. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1576, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heptarchy was in 1576

Dictionary Entries Near heptarchy

Cite this Entry

“Heptarchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heptarchy. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!