• satrapy • Part of Speech: Noun Meaning: 1. A province ruled by
a Persian warlord or governor (satrap). 2. A minor self-
contained country or province, probably ruled by a possessive
governor with a taste for luxury, but controlled by a larger
power. Notes: Surprisingly, this rather provincial word has
developed quite a few derivations, though it is difficult to
determine if all are used seriously. Satrapal, satrapian, and
satrapical have been offered as adjectives for satrap, the ruler
of a satrapy. Satrapial has been used as an adjective for
today's word. Use them all with caution. In Play: Today's word
works best in speaking of the Middle East: "Each of the warlords
of Afghanistan controls his own satrapy over which the central
government has little control." However, it has long been used
metaphorically in sentences such as, "Joe Bologna has his own
little satrapy in accounting and he can't be budged because no
one else understands his bookkeeping methods." Word History:
Today's Good Word is an extension