despotism
/ˈdespəˌtɪzəm/DEH-spuh-tih-zuhm
/ˈdɛspəˌtɪzəm/DEH-spuh-tih-zuhm
Meaningthe rule of a despot
Common meaning: rule by someone with total power
- despota master, lordLiddell & Scott, Greek-English Lexicon (1883), p. 334 · scan
- ismnoun ending: belief or practice
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Formed in English from despot + -ism.
Dictionary: Skeat (1898), DESPOT, p.163 · scan
Roots
- δεσπότης Greek “a master, lord”
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app