Past participle of overthrow; forcibly removed from power or defeated decisively.
From Old English oferweorpan meaning 'to overturn' or 'cast over,' combining ofer meaning 'over' and weorpan meaning 'to throw.' The political sense of removing rulers developed in the 14th century.
History is littered with overthrown rulers who thought their power was permanent - from Julius Caesar to the Romanovs to countless dictators who never saw the end coming. The word captures both the violence and the completeness of such political reversals, suggesting not just defeat but total reversal of fortune.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.