Basileus

''Basileus'' (), ; plural , ''basileis'' , .}} is a Greek term and title that has signified various types of monarchs throughout history. In the English-speaking world it is perhaps most widely understood to mean , referring to either a or an . The title was used by sovereigns and other persons of authority in ancient Greece (especially during the Hellenistic period), the Byzantine emperors, and the kings of modern Greece. The name Basileios (Basil), deriving from the term ''basileus'', is a common given name in the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches.

The feminine forms are ''basileia'' (), ''basilissa'' (), ''basillis'' (), or the archaic ''basilinna'' (), meaning or . The related term ''basileia'' () has meanings such as 'sovereignty', 'royalty', 'kingdom', 'reign', 'dominion' and 'authority'. Provided by Wikipedia