Word
stalin
Phoneticsstal·in
/ˈstɑɫən/
Definitions
01the Soviet leader
n. Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until 1953.
n. Joseph Stalin (1878–1953), the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union who led the USSR through World War II and the early Cold War.
“Historians often study the policies of Stalin during the Second World War.”
“The industrialization of the Soviet Union under Stalin was achieved through a series of brutal five-year plans that transformed the nation's economy.”
Usage
Always capitalized when referring to the historical figure.
Teaching tip
Learners should be aware that this is a proper noun; it is the most common use of the word.
02a dictatorial person
n. a person who is very strict, cruel, or controls others with total power.
n. A figurative reference to a person who exhibits dictatorial, authoritarian, or ruthlessly oppressive behavior.
“The new manager is a real Stalin who fires anyone who disagrees with him.”
“The department head ruled like a local Stalin, demanding absolute loyalty and punishing even the slightest deviation from his personal directives.”
Informal · Literary
Usage
Often used with an indefinite article ('a Stalin') or as a metaphor.
Teaching tip
This sense is highly provocative and should be used with caution as it compares a person to a historical figure responsible for millions of deaths.
Etymology
Borrowed from Russian Ста́лин (Stálin), from сталь (stalʹ, “steel”) + -ин (-in, possessive suffix), from German Stahl (“steel”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *stahlą (“steel”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/stalin