dictator

Alternative forms

• dictatour (obsolete)

Etymology

From Latin dictātor (“a chief magistrate”), from dictō (“dictate, prescribe”), from dīcō (“say, speak”).

Surface analysis is dictate +‎ -or (“(agent)”) “one who dictates”.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪkˈteɪtə(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈdɪkteɪtəɹ/

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

Noun

dictator (plural dictators)

1. A totalitarian leader of a country, nation, or government
2. Originally, a magistrate without colleague in republican ancient Rome, who held full executive authority for a term granted by the senate (legislature), typically to conduct a war
3. A tyrannical boss, or authority figure
4. A person who dictates text (e.g. letters to a clerk)
5. A ruler or Führer, the highest level of authority.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

dictator m (plural dictatoren or dictators, diminutive dictatortje n)

1. dictator (bossy senses)

Etymology

dictō (“I dictate”) +‎ -tor

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /dikˈtaː.tor/, [dɪkˈtaː.tɔr]

Noun

dictātor m (genitive dictātōris); third declension

1. an elected chief magistrate
2. one who dictates.

References

• dictator in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• dictator in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• dictator in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• dictator in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to name a person dictator: dictatorem dicere (creare)
    
  • a dictator appoints a magister equitum: dictator dicit (legit) magistrum equitum
    
• dictator in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• dictator in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

Etymology

Borrowed from French dictateur, Latin dictator.

Noun

dictator m (plural dictatori)

1. dictator