dictator
dictator Lexical Profile
dictator Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A ruler who wields absolute, unchecked authority over a state, typically having acquired or maintained power by force rather than constitutional consent.
"After decades under the rule of a ruthless dictator, the country finally held its first democratic elections."
A person who behaves in an autocratic, bossy, or domineering manner in everyday affairs or within an organization.
"The new project manager acts like a petty dictator, refusing to listen to any feedback from the design team."
In ancient Rome, a chief magistrate appointed by the Senate with supreme authority during times of emergency for a strictly limited term.
"Following the devastating military defeat, the Roman Senate appointed a dictator to organize the defense of the city."
• Rhymes for dictator
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Latin dictator, an agent noun from dictare ('to assert repeatedly, command, or dictate'), the frequentative of dicere ('to say or speak'). In the Roman Republic, a dictator was an extraordinary magistrate legally appointed by the Senate to hold absolute authority for up to six months during a severe national crisis.