dictator

American  

[dik-tey-ter, dik-tey-ter] / ˈdɪk teɪ tər, dɪkˈteɪ tər /

noun

1. a person exercising absolute power, especially a ruler who has absolute, unrestricted control in a government without hereditary succession.

2. (in ancient Rome) a person invested with supreme authority during a crisis, the regular magistracy being subordinated to him until the crisis was met.

3. a person who authoritatively prescribes conduct, usage, etc..

   a dictator of fashion.

4. a person who dictates, as to a secretary.

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dictator British  

/ dɪkˈteɪtə, dɪkˈteɪtrɪs, ˈdɪktətrɪks /

noun

1. 1. a ruler who is not effectively restricted by a constitution, laws, recognized opposition, etc

   2. an absolute, esp tyrannical, ruler

2. (in ancient Rome) a person appointed during a crisis to exercise supreme authority

3. a person who makes pronouncements, as on conduct, fashion, etc, which are regarded as authoritative

4. a person who behaves in an authoritarian or tyrannical manner

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Other Word Forms

• dictatress noun

Etymology

Origin of dictator

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin dictātor, from dictā(re) “to say repeatedly, prescribe, order” ( dictate ) + -tor -tor

Example Sentences

Whether anything will come of that argument, however, is less clear, as courts in the U.S. have in the past allowed criminal proceedings to continue against individuals captured abroad, including former Panama dictator Manuel Noriega.

From Los Angeles Times

The U.S. helped topple Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi, but both dictators were ultimately killed by their own people.

From The Wall Street Journal

She has reportedly been sworn in as the new dictator and is therefore commander in chief.

From The Wall Street Journal

Born in 1991 after a war of independence against former dictator General Siad Barre, it has grappled with decades of isolation ever since.

From BBC

The tragic hero in Shakespeare’s magnificent play isn’t Julius Caesar but Marcus Junius Brutus, one of the conspirators who plots to assassinate the Roman dictator.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• authoritarian
• autocrat
• commander
• despot
• totalitarian
• tyrant