POTUS

abbreviation or noun

ˈpō-təs 

variants or less commonly Potus

: the president of the United States

—often used like a nickname

The Bushes held their first state dinner. POTUS served buffalo meat, wore cowboy boots and welcomed Clint Eastwood.

—Newsweek

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some other acronyms like POTUS?

The oldest -OTUS ("of the United States") acronym is SCOTUS ("Supreme Court of the United States"), in use since the 1870s. POTUS ("President of the United States") is the second oldest, coming some twenty years after SCOTUS. FLOTUS ("First Lady of the United States") is another, thought to have originated in the 1980s. Less common than these, but still occasionally found, is VPOTUS ("Vice President of the United States").

Is POTUS always capitalized?

The most common form of the word is POTUS, although it is also found as Potus. Less common, and formerly used more frequently in the early 20th century, is potus.

What is the origin of the word POTUS?

POTUS is an acronym created by taking the first letter of each word in "President of the United States." According to our earliest records of its use, it came into being in the 1890s as an abbreviation used by telegraph operators. POTUS was likely based on the slightly older SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States), which had been used by telegraph operators since the 1870s.

Examples of POTUS in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Still putting the blame for the posting on an unnamed lower-level staffer, POTUS was talking to reporters on Air Force One traveling Friday from DC to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026

After Biden was elected POTUS, Sanders Townsend was hired as chief spokesperson and senior advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris. —Jay Stahl, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026

Along with the president’s $400,000 salary, the POTUS also receives a $100,000 travel account, $19,000 for entertainment and a $50,000 expense allowance. —Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 30 Jan. 2026

Over the past decade, online performance for others has evolved out of popular culture and media and become a primary means of communication for everyone—mass shooters, meme makers, and POTUS all included. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 6 Jan. 2026

When season 3 begins, the president has died, making Grace Penn (Allison Janney) POTUS. —David Faris, TheWeek, 29 Dec. 2025

As for Sorkin, his savvy, insider-y mixture of personal and political would help inspire his next great achievement, TV’s The West Wing — which promoted this film’s chief of staff, Martin Sheen, to POTUS. —Will Leitch, Vulture, 16 Dec. 2025

Casting Michael Shannon wonderfully against type as the upright and progressive, if a bit naive, POTUS, the series entwines Garfield’s perspective with that of his assassin, Charles Guiteau, a delusional grifter played by Matthew Macfadyen, Succession’s own Tom Wambsgans. —Judy Berman, Time, 28 Nov. 2025

The stand-up comedian — who was fired from Saturday Night Live in 2019 before appearing in any episodes after past racist remarks resurfaced — speculated on the POTUS' mental state on Thursday's episode of his Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast. —Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for POTUS

• glottis
• epiglottis
• serratus