Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

A.an absolute ruler, unlimited by law or constitution, first in h.Mart. 5 (unless the hymn is late), where it is used of a god, Ἆρες, . . ἀντιβίοισι τύραννε; so ὁ τῶν θεῶν τ., of Zeus, A.Pr.736, cf. Ar.Nu.564 (lyr.); ὦ τύραννε τᾶς ἐμᾶς φρενός, i.e. Apollo, S.Tr.217 (lyr.); “σὺ δ᾽ ὦ τύραννε θεῶν τε κἀνθρώπων Ἔρως” E.Fr.136; Μὴν Τύραννος, a Phrygian deity worshipped in Attica, IG22.1366.2(i A. D.), al.; οὔ, τὴν τ. (perh. Hera), in an oath, Herod.5.77: first used of monarchs in the time of Archil. (cf. “τυραννίς” 1) acc. to Hippias 9 D.; “Φίττακον ἐστάσαντο τ.” Alc. 37 A; “ἢν μή τις ἢ τ. ἢ σκηπτοῦχος ᾖ” Semon.7.69; “λαγέτας τ.” Pi.P.3.85; interchangeable with βασιλεύς in Isoc.2.4 (cf. 1), 35 (cf. 36); later, chief, princeling, OGI 654.8 (Egypt, i B. C.); “τ. ἴδιοι καθ᾽ ἕκαστον ἐμτπόριον” Peripl.M.Rubr.14: c. gen., “Κροῖσος . . τ. ἐθνέων τῶν ἐντὸς Ἅλυος” Hdt.1.6; Κλεισθένης ὁ Σικυῶνος τ., Ἱστιαῖος ὁ Μιλήτου τ., etc., Id.5.67, 7.10.γ́, etc.; “ὁ τῶν Κυπρίων τ.” Sor.1.39; οἱ τ., of the Sicilian tyrants, Th.1.14; of the Pisistratidae, X.HG6.5.33, Arist.Ath.13.5, Pol.1275b36, cf. Th.6.54, Pl.Smp.182c; “τὸν τ. κτανέτην” Scol.9.3; οἱ τ. the monarchical party, “προδιδοὺς τοῖς τ. τὴμ πόλιν τὴν Ἐρυθραίων” IG12.10.32: freq. in a bad sense, “δημοφάγος τ.” Thgn.1181, cf. 823, Hdt.3.80, Pl.Grg.510b, Plt. 301c, R.569b, etc.; “ὕβρις φυτεύει τύραννον” S.OT873 (lyr.).

2. in a wider sense, of members of the ruler's family, οἱ τ. 'the royal house', Id.Tr.316, cf. OC851, Charito 1.2: ἡ τύραννος is used both of the queen herself and the king's daughter, princess, E.Hec.809, Med. 42, 877, 1356, cf. infr. 11; πρέπει γὰρ ὡς τ. εἰσορᾶν, of Clytemnestra, S.El.664; “αὐτὴ . . τ. ἦ Φρυγῶν” E.Andr.204.

3. metaph., ἵνα Δίκη τ. ᾖ that Justice may be supreme, Critias 25.6D.; “Ε῎ρως τ. ἀνδρῶν” E. Hipp.538 (lyr.); “Πειθὼ τὴν τ. ἀνθρώποις μόνην” Id.Hec.816.

4. golden-crested wren, Regulus cristatus, Arist.HA592b23; cf. “τροχίλος” 1.2.

II. τύραννος, ον, as Adj., kingly, royal, “τύραννα σκῆπτρα” A. Pr.761; “τ. σχῆμα” S.Ant.1169; τύραννα δρᾶν to act as a king, Id.OT 588; “ἡ τύραννος κόρη” E.Med.1125; τύραννον δῶμα the king's palace, Id.Hipp.843 (lyr.), etc.; “τ. ἑστία” Id.Andr.3; τ. δόμος the royal house, Id.Hel.478, etc.; ἐς τύρανν᾽ ἐγημάμην into the royal house, Id.Tr.474.

2. imperious, despotic, “τ. πόλις” Th.1.122, 124; “αἱ τ. φύσεις” Luc.Ner.2. (Loan-word, prob. from Phrygian or Lydian.)