dynast

[dahy-nast, -nuhst, din-ast]

noun

1. a ruler or potentate, especially a hereditary ruler.

dynast

/ ˈdɪnəst, -æst /

noun

1. a ruler, esp a hereditary one

Word History and Origins

Origin of dynast¹

1625–35; < Latin dynastēs < Greek dynástēs, equivalent to dýnas ( thai ) to rule + -tēs agent suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of dynast¹

C17: from Latin dynastēs, from Greek dunastēs, from dunasthai to be powerful

Example Sentences

In doing so, Mr. Schlossberg serves as a useful reminder that political dynasts don’t deserve a leg up in American politics.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

His naïveté and intellectual stubbornness also led Lilla to believe, as late as 2016, that the Bushes and the Clintons would continue to be the dynasts of their respective parties.

Read more on Salon

“He’s a fifth generation dynast and came with a lot of historical baggage,” the political analyst explains.

Read more on BBC

But the novel becomes more intriguing once you know its rural Virginian petty dynasts correspond to the Tudors at the height of British rule.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The dynast Gotabaya Rajapaksa was leading the administration at the time, and he had appointed his brothers and his nephew to his cabinet.

Read more on New York Times

Related Words

• czar 
• emperor 
• king 
• monarch 
• shah 
• sultan