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tyrant

[ tahy-ruhnt ]
/ ˈtaɪ rənt /
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See synonyms for: tyrant / tyrants on Thesaurus.com

noun
a sovereign or other ruler who uses power oppressively or unjustly.
any person in a position of authority who exercises power oppressively or despotically.
a tyrannical or compulsory influence.
an absolute ruler, especially one in ancient Greece or Sicily.
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Origin of tyrant

1250–1300; Middle English tirant<Old French <Latin tyrannus<Greek týrannos

OTHER WORDS FROM tyrant

un·der·ty·rant, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tyrant in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tyrant

tyrant
/ (ˈtaɪrənt) /

noun
a person who governs oppressively, unjustly, and arbitrarily; despot
any person who exercises authority in a tyrannical manner
anything that exercises tyrannical influence
(esp in ancient Greece) a ruler whose authority lacked the sanction of law or custom; usurper

Word Origin for tyrant

C13: from Old French tyrant, from Latin tyrannus, from Greek turannos
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
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