autocrat
pronunciation
How to pronounce autocrat in British English:
UK [ˈɔːtəkræt]
How to pronounce autocrat in American English:
US [ˈɔːtəkræt]
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- Noun:
- a cruel and oppressive dictator
Word Origin
- autocrat (n.)
- 1803, from French autocrate, from Greek autokrates "ruling by oneself, absolute, autocratic," from autos- "self" (see auto-) + kratia "rule," from kratos "strength, power" (see -cracy). First used by Robert Southey, with reference to Napoleon. An earlier form was autocrator (1789), used in reference to the Russian Czars. Earliest form in English is the fem. autocratress (1762).
Example
- 1. America befriended the autocrat but enraged his population .
- 2. Here 's the story of this erratic autocrat 's roller-coaster career .
- 3. And no autocrat , no matter how brutal , is invincible .
- 4. The emir does not pretend he is anything but a benevolent modernising autocrat .
- 5. But this view misses the dark side of the bargain we made with the autocrat : we befriended him but enraged his population .