podesta

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

/ poʊˈdɛs tə, ˌpoʊ dəˈstɑ /

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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.

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Origin of podesta

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

Words nearby podesta

poddie, poddle, poddy, poddy-dodger, -pode, podesta, podetiiform, podetium, podge, Podgorica, Podgorny

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use podesta in a sentence

The think tank was founded by John Podesta, a top adviser to President Obama.
Obama’s Favorite Think Tank: We Should Prepare to Bomb Iraq|Josh Rogin|June 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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

Anthony Podesta told Reuters that he did not discuss events in Ukraine with his brother.
Yanukovych's Friends On The Hill|Oleg Shynkarenko|February 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In 1226, at the head of the Ghibellines, he got possession of Verona, and was appointed Podesta.
The Browning Cyclopdia|Edward Berdoe
After this charming burst of natural feeling, the Podesta's virtuous lady goes on with her lament.
Paris and the Parisians in 1835 (Vol. 2 of 2)|Frances Trollope
Arles was a free town when it was begun, with its own podesta and consuls like a flourishing commercial city in Italy.
How France Built Her Cathedrals|Elizabeth Boyle O'Reilly
The citizens stared in wonder at him as he dismounted before the great house of the Podesta.
The Old Man of the Mountain, The Lovecharm and Pietro of Abano|Ludwig Tieck
After a short pause Antonio again set off, but the Podesta now followed him more mistrustingly.
The Old Man of the Mountain, The Lovecharm and Pietro of Abano|Ludwig Tieck

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