potentate
noun
po·ten·tate
ˈpō-tᵊn-ˌtāt 
Did you know?
Potentate has been wielding its power in English since the 15th century. It comes from the Late Latin potentatus, which in turn was formed from the Latin potent-, meaning "powerful." Other descendants of potent- in English include potent itself, impotent, and omnipotent, as well as the archaic armipotent and very rare bellipotent (meaning, respectively, "mighty in battle" and "mighty in war"). Even power and powerful can be traced back to potent-.
Examples of potentate in a Sentence
Charles inherited the position of potentate of the Holy Roman Empire from his grandfather, as well that of king of Spain from his father.
Recent Examples on the Web
A number of sports potentates will be making the Idaho scene, at a moment when tens of billions of dollars are changing hands in pursuit of ever-valuable rights.
—
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 10 July 2024
By cracking the whip on local potentates, the party bolsters its already substantial public support and reinforces the power of central institutions.
—Dali Yang, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2017
This was a violin in full command of its considerable powers, a violin capable of enchanting the most powerful potentate in the land and persuading him to do its bidding.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 24 June 2024
This must remain a country that rejects princes or potentates.
—Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for potentate 
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.
Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 10 July 2024
By cracking the whip on local potentates, the party bolsters its already substantial public support and reinforces the power of central institutions.
—Dali Yang, Foreign Affairs, 13 June 2017
This was a violin in full command of its considerable powers, a violin capable of enchanting the most powerful potentate in the land and persuading him to do its bidding.
—Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 24 June 2024
This must remain a country that rejects princes or potentates.
—Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for potentate
Dictionary Entries Near potentate
Cite this Entry
“Potentate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potentate. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
potentate
noun
po·ten·tate
ˈpōt-ᵊn-ˌtāt
: a person who has controlling power : sovereign
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share