Refine this word faster
Tyrant
Definitions
- 1 Tyrannical, tyrannous; like, characteristic of, or in the manner of a tyrant. uncommon
"He was most tirant & cruell of all emperours."
- 1 A usurper; one who gains power and rules extralegally, distinguished from kings elevated by election or succession. historical
"To proue him Tyrant, this reason may suffice, That Henry liueth still."
- 2 a cruel and oppressive dictator wordnet
- 3 Any monarch or governor. obsolete
"Cassius... set tyrants over all Syria."
- 4 any person who exercises power in a cruel way wordnet
- 5 A despot; a ruler who governs unjustly, cruelly, or harshly.
"Tyrannes...be but Gods scourges which he will cast into the fyre when he hath done with them."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 in ancient Greece, a ruler who had seized power without legal right to it wordnet
- 7 Any person who abuses the power of position or office to treat others unjustly, cruelly, or harshly. broadly
"A plague vpon the Tyrant that I serue"
- 8 A villain; a person or thing who uses strength or violence to treat others unjustly, cruelly, or harshly. broadly
"I was a blasphemar, and a persecuter, and a tyraunt."
- 9 The tyrant birds, members of the family Tyrannidae, which often fight or drive off other birds which approach their nests.
"The Tyrant... The courage of this little Bird is singular."
- 1 To act like a tyrant; to be tyrannical. intransitive, obsolete
"Let thy judgment be king, but not tyrant over it"
- 2 To tyrannize. obsolete, transitive
Etymology
From Middle English tyraunt, tiraunt, tyrant, tyrante, from Old French tyrant, from the addition of a terminal -t to tiran (cp. French tyran) via a back-formation related to the development of French present participles out of the Latin -ans form, from Latin tyrannus (“despot”), from Ancient Greek τύραννος (túrannos, “usurper, monarch, despot”), of uncertain origin.
From Middle English tyraunt, tiraunt, tyrant, tyrante, from Old French tyrant, from the addition of a terminal -t to tiran (cp. French tyran) via a back-formation related to the development of French present participles out of the Latin -ans form, from Latin tyrannus (“despot”), from Ancient Greek τύραννος (túrannos, “usurper, monarch, despot”), of uncertain origin.
From Middle English tyraunt, tiraunt, tyrant, tyrante, from Old French tyrant, from the addition of a terminal -t to tiran (cp. French tyran) via a back-formation related to the development of French present participles out of the Latin -ans form, from Latin tyrannus (“despot”), from Ancient Greek τύραννος (túrannos, “usurper, monarch, despot”), of uncertain origin.
See also for "tyrant"
Next best steps
Mini challenge
Unscramble this word: tyrant