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

An ensemble cast — from Rebecca Ferguson and Anthony Ramos to Idris Elba as POTUS — depicts a stressful series of events, inside the White House Situation Room and beyond. —Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025

However, the movie did deliver a Best Actor Oscar nomination for Sebastian Stan as the real estate baron who would become POTUS, and a Best Supporting nom for Jeremy Strong. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2025

For two-thirds of the film, POTUS is a disembodied voice, before being revealed and leading the story’s final chapter. —Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025

Season 3 concludes with the series’ most shocking finale yet—which is saying something, considering the previous two seasons ended with a car bomb explosion and a dead POTUS, respectively. —Barry Levitt, Time, 16 Oct. 2025

That was followed by a shiny-happy coda, a significant time jump, and then the launch of a brand-new case involving a plot to assassinate the governor of California and/or POTUS. —Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 10 Oct. 2025

The entire film that follows plays out by toggling back and forth among myriad different perspectives, including Idris Elba as POTUS, in an ever-growing ensemble during those 18 minutes. —Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2025

This comes on the heels of POTUS telling NATO nations to shoot down Russian aircraft that violate their airspace. —Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 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, 13 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for POTUS

• glottis
• epiglottis
• serratus