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 WebThe Great Pyramids of Giza soar above the desert to illustrate the power and importance of the pharaohs buried there.—Ashley Gardini, JSTOR Daily, 11 June 2024 Whereas the pharaohs, in a symbolic ritual, used to eat the gods, today's ordinary Egyptians are preparing to consume their pharaoh-like leader and bestow on themselves the gift of democracy.—Robert Zaretsky, Foreign Affairs, 10 Feb. 2011 Traces of the second sarcophagus were found as alabaster fragments during restoration work performed in the pharaoh’s tomb in the 1990s.—Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 10 June 2024 Escaping persecution Lessons about oppression against Jews throughout history — the pharaoh, the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the Soviet pogroms and Nazism — remain at the forefront of the Seder.—Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 22 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pharaoh
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pharaoh.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
Time Traveler
The first known use of pharaoh was
before the 12th century
Old English pharao "pharaoh," from Latin pharaon-, pharao (same meaning), from Greek pharaō (same meaning), from Hebrew par'ōh "pharaoh," of Egyptian origin
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