potentate
UK /ˈpəʊ.tən.teɪt/ · US /ˈpoʊ.tən.teɪt/ noun, adjective
Forms potentates
- noun A powerful leader; a monarch; a ruler.
- noun A powerful polity or institution.
- noun (derogatory) A self-important person.
- noun (humorous) Someone acting in an important role.
- adjective (obsolete) Regnant, powerful, dominant.
Synonyms
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 (“to be able”).
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [LL. potentatus, fr. potentare to exercise power: cf. F. potentat. See Potent, a.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “potentate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details