praetorianism
[ pree-tawr-ee-uh-niz-uhm, -tohr- ]
noun
the control of a society by force or fraud, especially when exercised through titular officials and by a powerful minority.
Origin of praetorianism
1First recorded in 1865–70; praetorian + -ism
Words Nearby praetorianism
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use praetorianism in a sentence
If an autocracy does not rest on the army, which leads to the chaos of praetorianism, it must rely on 'panem et circenses.'
Outspoken Essays | William Ralph IngeThe evil fame of the Italian cohorts has survived in the phrase “praetorianism” used to imply a venal military despotism.
Browse