podesta

[ poh-des-tuh, poh-duh-stah ]

/ poʊˈdɛs tə, ˌpoʊ dəˈstɑ /

noun

any of certain magistrates in Italy, as a chief magistrate in medieval towns and republics.

a person appointed to serve as mayor of an Italian city during the Fascist regime.

Nearby words

poddie, poddle, poddy, poddy-dodger, podedema, podesta, podetiiform, podetium, podge, podgorica, podgorny

Origin of podesta

1540–50; < Italian podestà power < Latin potestās power, command

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for podesta

Podesta warned that opposition to natural gas is impractical and not grounded in reality.
‘Downton Abbey’ Democrats May Cost their Party the Senate|Lloyd Green|March 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Coming from Podesta—who previously headed the George Soros-funded Center for American Progress—them was fighting words.
‘Downton Abbey’ Democrats May Cost their Party the Senate|Lloyd Green|March 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lobbying Discloure Act records show that Podesta billed the Centre for $510,000 for 2013.
Ukraine’s D.C. Lobbyists in Disarray as Dictator Flees|Eli Lake|February 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“[John] Podesta was not sure that Obama felt anything, especially in his gut,” Woodward writes.
Woodward: The Juicy Bits|Bryan Curtis|September 22, 2010|DAILY BEAST

The podesta, the clerk, and the contessa's steward muttered together by the door of the dungeon.
The Saracen: The Holy War|Robert Shea
There was sometimes but one Podesta; sometimes one for each province.
The Rise of the Dutch Republic, Volume I.(of III) 1555-66|John Lothrop Motley
But even as they talked, across town the podesta's men might be tearing Daoud's body to pieces.
The Saracen: The Holy War|Robert Shea
And, as podesta, my first concern is the welfare of Orvieto.
The Saracen: The Holy War|Robert Shea
Because you, and not the podesta, are the one truly injured.
The Saracen: The Holy War|Robert Shea

British Dictionary definitions for podesta

podesta

/ (pɒˈdɛstə, Italian podeˈsta) /

noun

(in modern Italy) a subordinate magistrate in some towns

(in Fascist Italy) the chief magistrate of a commune

(in medieval Italy)

any of the governors of the Lombard cities appointed by Frederick Barbarossa
a chief magistrate in any of various republics, such as Florence

Word Origin for podesta

C16: from Italian: power, from Latin potestās ability, power, from posse to be able

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