Potentate

//ˈpoʊ.tən.teɪt// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A powerful leader; a monarch; a ruler.

    "But Kings and mightieſt Potentates muſt die, For that's the end of humane miſerie."

  2. 2
    a ruler who is unconstrained by law wordnet
  3. 3
    A powerful polity or institution.
  4. 4
    A self-important person. derogatory
  5. 5
    Someone acting in an important role. humorous

    ""Those foreigners," thought the female potentate of the Sun, "won't know what to order; but I'll show them what a good supper is.""

Adjective
  1. 1
    Regnant, powerful, dominant. obsolete

Synonyms

All synonyms
anointed kingchiefchieftaincrowncrowned headdictator

Example

More examples

"The folly and inhumanity of the “kings of the world” generate wars, genocides, and with impunity kill their “enemies” through starvation, and the potentate who has the most sophisticated and lethal weapons will prevail with his whims."

Etymology

From Middle English potentat, from Old French, from Late Latin potentātus (“rule, political power”), from Latin potēns (“powerful, strong”), the active present participle of possum (“I am able”).

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.