tzar
- czar.
czar
or tsar, tzar
- an emperor or king.
- (often initial capital letter) the former emperor of Russia.
- an autocratic ruler or leader.
- any person exercising great authority or power in a particular field: a czar of industry.
Origin of czar
Examples from the Web for tzar
Historical Examples
It was the priest who assured the mountaineers that Stephen really was the Tzar.
The Birth of Yugoslavia, Volume 1Henry Baerlein
The Tzar's dominion embraces every phase of religion and of civilization.
Foot-prints of TravelMaturin M. Ballou
The minister, the Tzar, and all the higher authorities are in the same position.
The Kingdom of God is Within YouCount Leo Tolstoy
His reminiscences were not interesting to the Tzar, who had him promptly arrested.
The Rise of the Russian EmpireHector H. Munro
He preserved his truth to thee before the Tzar and the people.
A Book of Golden DeedsCharlotte M. Yonge
tzar
- a less common spelling of tsar
czar
- a variant spelling (esp US) of tsar
Word Origin and History for tzar
czar
n.
1550s, from Russian tsar, from Old Slavic tsesari, from Gothic kaisar, from Greek kaisar, from Latin Caesar. First adopted by Russian emperor Ivan IV, 1547.
The spelling with cz- is against the usage of all Slavonic languages; the word was so spelt by Herberstein, Rerum Moscovit. Commentarii, 1549, the chief early source of knowledge as to Russia in Western Europe, whence it passed into the Western Languages generally; in some of these it is now old-fashioned; the usual Ger. form is now zar; French adopted tsar during the 19th c. This also became frequent in English towards the end of that century, having been adopted by the Times newspaper as the most suitable English spelling. [OED]
The Germanic form of the word also is the source of Finnish keisari, Estonian keisar. The transferred sense of "person with dictatorial powers" is first recorded 1866, American English, initially in reference to President Andrew Johnson. The fem. czarina is 1717, from Italian czarina, from Ger. Zarin, fem. of Zar "czar." The Russian fem. form is tsaritsa. His son is tsarevitch, his daughter is tsarevna.
czar
The title of rulers or emperors of Russia from the sixteenth century until the Russian Revolution. The czars ruled as absolute monarchs (see absolute monarchy) until the early twentieth century, when a parliament was established in Russia. Czar can also be spelled tsar.