A.of or for rule, royal, “πυθμήν” A.Ch.260; “γένος” Th.2.80; official, “δικαστήριον” Chor. in Rev.Phil.1.219: neut. pl. ἀρχικά as Subst., perh. presents demanded by officials on entering office, PTeb. 3.57A22.
2. of persons, fit for rule, command, or office, Pl.Prt. 352b, al., Isoc.2.24; having served as magistrates, CIG2774 (Aphrodisias): c. gen., “ἀνθρώπων” X.Mem.1.1.16; “νεώς” Pl.R.488d; “φύσει ἀρχικὸν πατὴρ υἱῶν” Arist.EN1161a18; “ἔστιν -κώτατα τῶν γενῶν Σκύθαι καὶ Θρᾷκες καὶ Πέρσαι” Isoc.4.67. Adv. “-κῶς, ἔχοντες” Lib.Or.11.148; “ἱερατικῶς καὶ ἀ. φυλαττόμενα” Just.Nov.58.
3. dominant, sovereign, ἡ ἀρχικωτάτη ἐπιστήμη the sovereign science, i.e. σοφία, Arist.Metaph.982b4; “τὴν ἀ. χώραν ἔχειν” Id.PA665b18; ἀ. ἀρετή, opp. ὑπηρετική, Id.Pol.1260a23:—Math., principal, ἀ. συμπτώματα, of the properties of a curve, Apollon.Perg.Con.1 Praef.; ἀ. διάμετροι principal diameters, ib.1.51.