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Which Roman leader was appointed dictator for life?

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dictator

American  

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

noun

• dictators
  plural

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 /

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

Derived Forms

• dictatress
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• dictators
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dictator

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

Explanation

A dictator is someone who has absolute power — or who at least behaves as if they do by bossing others around. In government, a dictator is a ruler who has total control over a country, with no checks or balances to prevent abuse of power. Dictator can also describe someone who acts like that on a smaller scale. When your sister is getting married and your mom makes her order roses instead lilies for the table arrangements and yells at you for addressing the invitations too slowly and insists that all of her coworkers be invited, she’s acting like a dictator.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dictator dictators

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has sealed borders with fences, walls and land mines to prevent citizens from escaping to South Korea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

That nickname comes from Mobutu Sese Seko, the dictator who ruled the Democratic Republic of Congo - formerly Zaire - for three decades.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

Before, the two forces had been allies, working together to crush rebellions in Darfur, but also pro-democracy movements that sprung up after the ouster of Sudanese dictator Omar Al-Bashir in 2019.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026

But often, the data that started as interesting information becomes a kind of dictator.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

The latter by this time had already had an eventful career: a Macedonian-leaning social conservative, he was already a prolific author when Cassander, the strongman in Pella, installed him as dictator of Athens.

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro

"Only those nations ruled by kings or dictators display the image of their sitting ruler on the coins of the realm," he said.

From Barron's ● Mar. 20, 2026

“Only those nations ruled by kings or dictators display the image of their sitting ruler on the coins of the realm.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

We don’t like despots and dictators and monarchs or anything smacking of royalty.

From Slate ● Feb. 16, 2026

Worse, that show transformed high fantasy’s most magnificent beasts into little more than pimped-out rides for pasty dictators.

From Salon ● Jan. 17, 2026

The once respected and honored Taliban became what they were fighting against, the oppressive warlords and dictators that had preceded them.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

Related Words

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