podesta
Americannoun
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any of certain magistrates in Italy, as a chief magistrate in medieval towns and republics.
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a person appointed to serve as mayor of an Italian city during the Fascist regime.
noun
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(in modern Italy) a subordinate magistrate in some towns
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(in Fascist Italy) the chief magistrate of a commune
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any of the governors of the Lombard cities appointed by Frederick Barbarossa
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a chief magistrate in any of various republics, such as Florence
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Etymology
Origin of podesta
1540–50; < Italian podestà power < Latin potestās power, command
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Daoud saw the flickering glow of heat lightning through the thick leaded-glass window behind the podesta.
From The Saracen: The Holy War by Robert Shea
"Well, you will have done what you thought right," said Daoud, after the podesta had finished listing all these evil consequences.
From The Saracen: The Holy War by Robert Shea
The podesta left the dungeon, still holding the silver flask.
From The Saracen: The Holy War by Robert Shea
Let us be glad the podesta was sensible and surrendered.
From The Saracen: The Holy War by Robert Shea
Erculio has told me of your arrest and your sufferings at the hands of the podesta of Orvieto.
From The Saracen: The Holy War by Robert Shea
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
