dictator
n. countablen. a leader who has total power over a country. This person usually takes control by force and does not allow people to vote or disagree.
n. a ruler with total power over a country, typically one who has obtained control by force and exercises it in a tyrannical manner.
The dictator controlled every aspect of the citizens' lives.
After the military coup, the new dictator suspended the constitution and banned all opposition parties.
Historians often debate the specific social conditions that allow a populist leader to transition into a dictator, centralizing authority until the legislative branch becomes entirely symbolic.
From Latin dictātor (“a chief magistrate”), from dictō (“dictate, prescribe”), from dīcō (“say, speak”). By surface analysis, dictate + -or, literally “one who dictates”. Compare Old English tictator (“absolute ruler of the Roman Republic”).
Commonly used in political and historical contexts; often carries a strong negative connotation of oppression.