Despot
/ˈdɛspət/noun
A ruler who holds absolute power, especially one who exercises it harshly or tyrannically.
Did you know?Despot comes through Byzantine Greek from a formal title of authority, not originally a word for cruelty; the sinister meaning grew later as people associated absolute rule with oppression.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pótis
“master, lord, husband”
Ancient Greek
Greek
despótēs
“master of a household; owner; ruler”
Byzantine Greek
Greek
despótēs
“a title for a lord, master, or sovereign”
Late Latin
Latin
despota
“a lord or master”
14th Century
English
despot
“a ruler or lord with absolute authority”
Modern English
English
despot
“a tyrannical ruler or oppressive person”