Caudillo
/kaʊˈdiːjoʊ/noun
A military or political leader, especially an authoritarian one.
Did you know?The word comes from Latin *cauda* (“tail”), with a Spanish diminutive, so its deepest root is literally a “little tail” that became a title for a commander.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
cauda
“tail”
Late Latin
LLatin
caudīcula
“small tail; diminutive form”
Old Spanish
Spanish
caudillo
“a military leader or chief”
Middle Spanish
Spanish
caudillo
“a leader, commander, or chief”
Modern English
English
caudillo
“a strongman ruler, especially in Spanish- or Latin American contexts”