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.
But Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, told reporters outside the White House on Monday that various investigations identified the deportees under the Alien Enemies Act as members of Tren de Aragua through law enforcement, social media, their activities and criminal records in the U.S. and abroad. Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025 What to Know DeSantis appeared at the roundtable alongside White House border czar Tom Homan and former acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025 Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is doubling down on his mistake to become a deputy for Trump border czar Tom Homan. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Mar. 2025 Read more: ‘The whole pie’: Trump team attempts novel legal strategy to subvert birthright citizenship On Fox News Monday, border czar Tom Homan said the administration is planning more international deportation flights. David Catanese, Miami Herald, 17 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 28 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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