despot

[ des-puht, -pot ]
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noun
  1. a king or other ruler with absolute, unlimited power; autocrat.

  2. any tyrant or oppressor.

  1. History/Historical. an honorary title applied to a Byzantine emperor, afterward to members of his family, and later to Byzantine vassal rulers and governors.

Origin of despot

1
1555–65; <Greek despótēs master <*dems-pot- presumably, “master of the house,” equivalent to *dems-, akin to dómos house + pot-, base of pósis husband, spouse; cf. hospodar, host1

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British Dictionary definitions for despot

despot

/ (ˈdɛspɒt) /


noun
  1. an absolute or tyrannical ruler; autocrat or tyrant

  2. any person in power who acts tyrannically

  1. a title borne by numerous persons of rank in the later Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires: the despot of Servia

Origin of despot

1
C16: from Medieval Latin despota, from Greek despotēs lord, master; related to Latin domus house

Derived forms of despot

  • despotic (dɛsˈpɒtɪk) or despotical, adjective
  • despotically, adverb

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