dictator
Pluraldictators
- 1A leader who holds total control over a country or government, ruling without limits from law or elections.
The dictator seized power after the army overthrew the elected government.
Under the dictator, the press lost every freedom it had once enjoyed.
Similardespot, tyrant, autocrat, strongman
Note
A word built for a Roman office, now applied to modern rulers: Latin dictātor, from dictō "dictate, prescribe," so by surface analysis it is simply one who dictates. News writing often sets it lowercase before a name as a descriptive title, as in Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. Unlike the Roman office, it names no legal post. It is a judgment others pass, which is why it so readily becomes an accusation.
- 2
- 3In republican Rome, a single magistrate granted full executive authority by the Senate for a set term, usually to lead a war.
The Senate named a dictator to take command of the legions during the crisis.
Cincinnatus famously resigned as dictator and returned to his farm once Rome was safe.
Note
Here the word is a constitutional title, not an insult. Roman magistrates normally served alongside colleagues, but the dictator stood alone, holding full executive authority for a fixed term, usually to fight a war. Old English already had tictator for this absolute ruler of the Republic. In writing about Rome, read it neutrally: a dictator was appointed, served his term and stepped down, as Cincinnatus did.
Practice
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Origin
From Latin dictator ("a chief magistrate"), formed from dicto ("dictate, prescribe"), which comes from dico ("say, speak"). By surface analysis it is dictate + -or, literally "one who dictates".