despot

noun

des·​pot ˈde-spət 

-ˌspät

1

a

: a ruler with absolute power and authority

tyrannical despots

b

: one exercising power tyrannically : a person exercising absolute power in a brutal or oppressive way

regards the basketball coach as a despot

2

a

: a Byzantine emperor or prince

b

Christianity : a bishop or patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church

c

: an Italian hereditary prince or military leader during the Renaissance

Did you know?

In his 1755 dictionary, Samuel Johnson said of despot, "this word is not in use, except as applied to some Dacian prince; as the despot of Servia." Indeed at that time, the word was mainly used to identify some very specific rulers or religious officials, and the title was an honorable one: it comes from a Greek word meaning "lord" or "master." That situation changed toward the end of the 18th century, perhaps because French Revolutionists, who were said to have been "very liberal in conferring this title," considered all sovereigns to be tyrannical. Eventually, despot came to be used primarily for any ruler who wielded absolute and often contemptuous and oppressive power.

Synonyms

• caesar
• dictator
• führer
• fuehrer
• oppressor
• pharaoh
• strongman
• tyrannizer
• tyrant

Examples of despot in a Sentence

He was a successful basketball coach, but many people regarded him as a petty despot.

The company is run by a benevolent despot.

Recent Examples on the Web

As a leader of the opposition to these despots, Sirleaf survived imprisonment, exile, and an abusive husband. —Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2024

Both end with pitch-black gags that should serve as cautionary warnings for any aspiring despots. —Donald Liebenson, Vulture, 14 June 2024

To let mystics into this realm leads to error, disorder, and insurrection—to government by fanatics, maniacs, and despots claiming divinity. —Simon Critchley, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024

Of course, the supply chains underpinning renewable energy are not free of geopolitical complications, but the actual energy source is invariably local and immune to interference—after all, once a windmill or solar panel is in place, no foreign despot can shut down the wind or the sun. —Alexander Gard-Murray, Foreign Affairs, 23 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle French despote, from Greek despotēs master, lord, autocrat, from des- (akin to domos house) + -potēs (akin to posis husband); akin to Sanskrit dampati lord of the house — more at dome, potent

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

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Kids Definition

despot

noun

des·​pot ˈdes-pət 

-ˌpät

1

: a ruler with absolute power and authority

2

: a person who uses power in a cruel, unjust, or harmful way

despotic

des-ˈpät-ik

adjective

despotically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb