[poh-des-tuh, poh-duh-stah] 
| 1. | any of certain magistrates in Italy, as a chief magistrate in medieval towns and republics. |
| 2. | a person appointed to serve as mayor of an Italian city during the Fascist regime. |
| po·des·ta (pō-děs'tə, pō'dě-stä') n. The chief magistrate in any of the republics of medieval Italy. [Italian podestà, from Old Italian podestate, from Latin potestās, power, from potis, powerful, able; see poti- in Indo-European roots.] |