tsar
Americannoun
noun
-
(until 1917) the emperor of Russia
-
a tyrant; autocrat
-
informal a public official charged with responsibility for dealing with a certain problem or issue
a drugs tsar
-
informal a person in authority; leader
-
(formerly) any of several S Slavonic rulers, such as any of the princes of Serbia in the 14th century
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tsar
from Russian tsar , via Gothic kaisar from Latin Caesar
Explanation
In Russia, the tsar was the supreme male monarch, or king. The last Russian tsar was overthrown in 1917 — but you can still use this word for the head of a big government program. In the tenth century, tsar or czar was the title of certain Slavic and Eastern European monarchs, and from 1547 until the Russian Revolution, a tsar also ruled over Russia. The word comes from the Latin caesar, or "emperor," a title inspired by Julius Caesar. Tsar is used metaphorically for someone heading up a special government project, like the climate tsar President Obama appointed or the oil tsar hired by President Roosevelt.
Vocabulary lists containing tsar
Russia - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Russia - Middle School and High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Absolutism and Enlightenment, Lessons 1–4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Although he has since said he intends to appoint an AI tsar, so perhaps somebody has had a quiet word.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
Elsewhere, a separate headline quotes Sir Charlie Mayfield, the UK's work tsar, as urging that "calling in sick with a text or email must end".
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
EU tech tsar Henna Virkkunen will unveil the new "technological sovereignty" package in Brussels, including new rules on chips, cloud computing and AI.
From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026
"We need to develop our own capacities. We cannot allow someone trying to influence our own decisions, our own values, our own well-functioning economy and services," EU competition tsar Teresa Ribera said this month.
From Barron's ● May 30, 2026
The tsar sat at the front table, facing the entire room.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
