tyrant

[ tahy-ruhnt ]
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noun
  1. a sovereign or other ruler who uses power oppressively or unjustly.

  2. any person in a position of authority who exercises power oppressively or despotically.

  1. a tyrannical or compulsory influence.

  2. an absolute ruler, especially one in ancient Greece or Sicily.

Origin of tyrant

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English tirant, from Old French, earlier tiran (with the addition of t by association with -ant ), from Latin tyrannus, from Greek týrannos, of uncertain origin, perhaps Anatolian

Other words for tyrant

Other words from tyrant

  • un·der·ty·rant, noun

Words Nearby tyrant

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tyrant in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tyrant

tyrant

/ (ˈtaɪrənt) /


noun
  1. a person who governs oppressively, unjustly, and arbitrarily; despot

  2. any person who exercises authority in a tyrannical manner

  1. anything that exercises tyrannical influence

  2. (esp in ancient Greece) a ruler whose authority lacked the sanction of law or custom; usurper

Origin of tyrant

1
C13: from Old French tyrant, from Latin tyrannus, from Greek turannos

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012