praetorianism
[ pree-tawr-ee-uh-niz-uhm, -tohr- ]
/ priˈtɔr i əˌnɪz əm, -ˈtoʊr- /
noun
the control of a society by force or fraud, especially when exercised through titular officials and by a powerful minority.
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Origin of praetorianism
First recorded in 1865–70; praetorian + -ism
Words nearby praetorianism
praesidium, praetexta, praetor, praetorian, Praetorian Guard, praetorianism, Praetorius, praetorship, pragmatagnosia, pragmatamnesia, pragmatic
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for praetorianism
If an autocracy does not rest on the army, which leads to the chaos of praetorianism, it must rely on 'panem et circenses.'
Outspoken Essays|William Ralph IngeThe evil fame of the Italian cohorts has survived in the phrase “praetorianism” used to imply a venal military despotism.