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

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

Along with the choice by Fox not to cover Liz Cheney’s eulogy, there was also a choice by the Cheney family not to invite the current POTUS or VPOTUS to today’s funeral. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2025

They were also treated to a frighteningly realistic re-creation of our current POTUS stumbling naked through a desert, showcasing that distinctly un-prodigious manhood. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2025

In those moments, Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper (POTUS, Spring Awakening), who plays moderator and former spelling bee champ Rona Lisa Peretti, and Jason Kravits (The Drowsy Chaperone), who plays Vice Principal Doug Panch, have the chance to improv as the main adults in the show. —Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Nov. 2025

The shutdown has ended and POTUS was relatively subdued this week, making way for such matters of import as Garfield (the cat and the president) trivia, killer rodents and bro culture. —NPR, 14 Nov. 2025

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

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

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for POTUS

• glottis
• epiglottis
• serratus