"Chiefly Ancient Greek History . In ancient Greece: the ruler or leader of a phyle. Also more generally: a tribal or clan chief", Mid 16th cent.; earliest use found in Ralph Robinson (1520–1577), translator. From classical Latin phȳlarchus leader or chief of a tribe, chief official of a Greek phyle from ancient Greek ϕύλαρχος chief official of a phyle, (in Attica) commander of the cavalry of a phyle from ϕυλή tribe + -αρχος.[phylarch etymology, phylarch origin, 英语词源]