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totalitarian
[ toh-tal-i-tair-ee-uhn ]
/ toʊˌtæl ɪˈtɛər i ən /
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adjective
of or relating to a centralized government that does not tolerate parties of differing opinion and that exercises dictatorial control over many aspects of life.
exercising control over the freedom, will, or thought of others; authoritarian; autocratic.
noun
an adherent of totalitarianism.
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Origin of totalitarian
First recorded in 1925–30; totalit(y) + -arian
OTHER WORDS FROM totalitarian
an·ti·to·tal·i·tar·i·an, adjectivenon·to·tal·i·tar·i·an, adjectiveWords nearby totalitarian
total heat, total impulse, total internal reflection, totalism, totalistic, totalitarian, totalitarianism, totalitarianize, totality, totalizator, totalize
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use totalitarian in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for totalitarian
totalitarian
/ (təʊˌtælɪˈtɛərɪən) /
adjective
of, denoting, relating to, or characteristic of a dictatorial one-party state that regulates every realm of life
noun
a person who advocates or practises totalitarian policies
Derived forms of totalitarian
totalitarianism, nounWord Origin for totalitarian
from totality + -arian
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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