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

Officially, probable 2028 POTUS candidate Newsom’s office did not have anything to say about any deal or the end of any deal on SB 122. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026

Williams learned of Ferguson’s snafu while in POTUS on Broadway. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Aug. 2026

Despite Schaffer’s praise of his acting chops, Lewis doesn’t think the ex-POTUS will be rushing to add more credits to his IMDb page. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026

At one point, Damien casually mentions that the POTUS, a personal friend of his, is about to call him with an offer to be the United States’ next ambassador to Britain. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for POTUS

• lotus
• motus
• notice
• haliotis
• melilotus
• microtus
• myotis