Word
mussolini
Phoneticsmus·soli·ni
/ˌmusoʊˈɫini/
Definition
n. a person who acts like a bossy or strict leader in a way that seems a bit much. It comes from the name of an old Italian dictator, but people use it today to tease someone who is being too controlling.
n. a person who exhibits authoritarian, domineering, or dictatorial behavior in a specific context. Often used figuratively or humorously to describe someone exercising excessive control over minor matters.
Examples
“Our office manager is a bit of a Mussolini about the coffee machine.”
“He acted like a total Mussolini during the group project, refusing to let anyone else choose the font or layout.”
Examples
simple
“Our office manager is a bit of a Mussolini about the coffee machine.”
contextual
“He acted like a total Mussolini during the group project, refusing to let anyone else choose the font or layout.”
Usage
When used as a common noun to describe a personality type, it is often preceded by 'a' or 'a bit of a'.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/mussolini