variants or less commonly tsar or tzar
1
: emperor
specifically : the ruler of Russia until the 1917 revolution
2
: one having great power or authority
a banking czar
czardom noun
or less commonly tsardom or tzardom
ˈzär-dəm How to pronounce czar (audio)
ˈ(t)sär-

Examples of czar in a Sentence

a showbiz czar who is said to be able to make or break a career
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Their naming of a fentanyl czar in Canada is important. CBS News, 9 Mar. 2025 From the White House, count on seeing the venture capitalist and Trump crypto czar David Sacks, digital assets task force leader Bo Hines and acting chairman of the SEC Mark Uyeda. Allison Morrow, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025 Crypto czar says public has 'lost out on over $17 billion' in bitcoin valueWhite House Crypto czar David Sacks argued taxpayers have lost out on billions because earlier administrations never took advantage of bitcoin in the government's possession. Selina Wang, ABC News, 7 Mar. 2025 White House crypto and AI czar David Sacks wrote in a post on X that the reserve will be funded exclusively with bitcoin seized in criminal and civil forfeiture cases. Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for czar

Word History

Etymology

New Latin czar, from Russian tsar', from Old Russian tsĭsarĭ, from Goth kaisar, from Greek or Latin; Greek, from Latin Caesar — more at caesar

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of czar was in 1555

Cite this Entry

“Czar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/czar. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

czar

noun
variants also tsar or tzar
ˈzär
1
: the ruler of Russia until the 1917 revolution
2
: one having great power or authority
a baseball czar
czardom noun
also tsardom or tzardom
ˈzärd-əm
Etymology

Latin czar "czar," from Russian tsar' (same meaning), from early Russian tsǐsarǐ, tsěsarǐ "emperor," from a Germanic word kaisar "emperor," derived from Latin Caesar (title of a line of Roman emperors after Augustus Caesar) see Word History at emperor

More from Merriam-Webster on czar

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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