archi-

a combining form with the general sense “first, principal,” that is prefixed to nouns denoting things that are earliest, most basic, or bottommost (archiblast; archiphoneme; architrave); or denoting individuals who direct or have authority over others of their class, usually named by the base noun (archimandrite; architect).

Also, especially before a vowel, arch-.

Compare arch-¹ , arche-

Origin

< Greek, combining form akin to archḗ beginning, árchos leader, árchein to be the first, command

British Dictionary definitions for archi-

arch-

combining form

chief; principal; of highest rank: archangel, archbishop, archduke

eminent above all others of the same kind; extreme: archenemy, archfiend, archfool

Word Origin

ultimately from Greek arkhi-, from arkhein to rule

archi-

combining form

a variant of arch-

archi- in Medicine

archi- or arch- or arche-
pref.
Earlier; primitive: archenteron.