presidium

[pri-sid-ee-uh m]

See more synonyms for presidium on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural pre·sid·i·ums, pre·sid·i·a

[pri-sid-ee-uh] /prɪˈsɪd i ə/. (often initial capital letter)

(in the Soviet Union and other Communist countries) an administrative committee, usually permanent and governmental, acting when its parent body is in recess but exercising full powers: the presidium of the Supreme Soviet.

Origin of presidium

1815–25; < Latin prae-sidium, derivative of praes(es) (stem praesid-) guardian, governor, literally, one sitting before. See preside, -ium

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for presidium

legislature, management, ministry, executive, cabinet, bureau, board, committee, department, presidency, upstairs, general, chair, president, commander, consulate, chairperson, headquarters, embassy, command

Examples from the Web for presidium

Contemporary Examples of presidium

The deputy chairman of the presidium of the Donetsk Republic, Denis Pushilin, also predicts “good results.”
Putin’s People Stage Their Bogus Vote
Jamie Dettmer
May 11, 2014

Historical Examples of presidium

You are Chairman of the Presidium; is this how you keep order here?
A Slave is a Slave
Henry Beam Piper
They elected the seven members of the Presidium, who drew lots for the Chairmanship.
A Slave is a Slave
Henry Beam Piper
The Presidium appointed the Chiefs of Managements, who also served for life.
A Slave is a Slave
Henry Beam Piper
More importantly, the presidium assumed the powers and functions of the National Assembly when the latter was not in session.
Area Handbook for Bulgaria
Eugene K. Keefe, Violeta D. Baluyut, William Giloane, Anne K. Long, James M. Moore, and Neda A. Walpole
In practice, the Assembly listens to the reading of bills drawn up by its Presidium and then votes unanimous approval.
Area Handbook for Albania
Eugene K. Keefe

British Dictionary definitions for presidium

presidium

praesidium

noun plural -iums or -ia (-ɪə)

(often capital) (in Communist countries) a permanent committee of a larger body, such as a legislature, that acts for it when it is in recess
a collective presidency, esp of a nongovernmental organization

Word Origin for presidium

C20: from Russian prezidium, from Latin praesidium, from praesidēre to superintend; see preside

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

Word Origin and History for presidium

Presidium

permanent administrative committee of the U.S.S.R., 1924, from Russian prezidium, from Latin praesidium "a presiding over, defense," from praesidere (see preside).