czar

noun

ˈzär  ˈ(t)sär 

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 

ˈ(t)sär-

Synonyms

• baron
• captain
• king
• lion
• lord
• magnate
• mogul
• monarch
• Napoleon
• prince
• tycoon

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

Kennedy is more likely to have a role as a White House czar rather than one that would require Senate confirmation, the Post reported. —Sara Dorn, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

If only for Penn’s explanation of Creegan’s outsize strategic importance, Trowbridge’s description of her as uniquely qualified to serve as the U.S. nuclear czar seems correct. —Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024

She's had a chance to be the border czar and failed miserably. —ABC News, 27 Oct. 2024

Singapore’s anti-drug czar claims strict punishment serves as a deterrent to drug traffickers. —Rebecca Wright, CNN, 19 Oct. 2024

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

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