dictator

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a person who behaves in a tyrannical manner

   my boss is a dictator who makes everyone work overtime

2. 2
   noun

   A totalitarian leader of a country, nation, or government.

   The Dominicans had lived for thirty years under the iron-fisted rule of dictator Leonidas Trujillo. During those years, which ended with Trujillo's assassination in 1961, those who opposed Trujillo had three choices: to go into exile, to go underground, or to remain quiet. Most Dominicans had chosen the third course.

3. 3
   noun

   a ruler who is unconstrained by law

4. 4
   noun

   a speaker who dictates to a secretary or a recording machine

5. 5
   noun

   A magistrate without colleague in republican Ancient Rome, who held full executive authority for a term granted by the Senate, typically to conduct a war.

6. 6
   noun

   A tyrannical boss or authority figure.

7. 7
   noun

   Misspelling of dictater.

Etymology

From Latin dictātor (“a chief magistrate”), from dictō (“dictate, prescribe”), from dīcō (“say, speak”). By surface analysis, dictate + -or, literally “one who dictates”. Compare Old English tictator (“absolute ruler of the Roman Republic”).