Word
dictator
Phoneticsdic·ta·tor
US/ˈdɪkteɪtɝ/
UK/dɪktˈeɪtɐ/
Definitions
01political ruler
n. a ruler who has complete power over a country, usually because they took it by force.
n. an autocratic ruler who possesses absolute authority over a state, typically one who has seized power through non-democratic means.
“The dictator controlled the media and allowed no one to speak against him.”
“The military dictator maintained his grip on power by suppressing political dissent and suspending the national constitution.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02controlling person
n. someone who behaves like they have total power over others and tells them exactly what to do.
n. a person who behaves in an autocratic or overbearing manner within a specific social or professional hierarchy.
“Our boss is a bit of a dictator and never listens to our ideas.”
“The head chef was a notorious dictator in the kitchen, demanding absolute perfection and silence from his staff during service.”
Informal
Synonyms
03Ancient Roman office
n. a leader in Ancient Rome who was given total power for a short time during an emergency.
n. a magistrate in the Roman Republic granted absolute authority for a fixed term to handle a specific national crisis.
“In times of war, the Roman Senate would sometimes appoint a dictator to lead the army.”
“Unlike modern tyrants, the early Roman dictator was expected to resign his extraordinary powers as soon as the specific crisis had been resolved.”
Technical
Usage
Usually refers specifically to the constitutional office rather than a modern tyrant.
Real-World Examples
“He was three when dictator Adolf Hitler ordered the Nazi German invasion of Norway early in World War Two.” “They say other witnesses described the man as having a "Hitler-fixation" - and how he had listened to records of speeches by the Nazi dictator in his youth.” Etymology
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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The word in film
The Dictator · 2012 · Comedy
- Directed by:
- Larry Charles
- Starring:
- Barack Obama, Megan Fox, Edward Norton
Sacha Baron Cohen stars in this Larry Charles comedy about an oppressive leader from a fictional Middle Eastern country who visits New York. The story follows his struggle to maintain his absolute authority after he is replaced by a lookalike.