czar

noun

ˈzär  ˈ(t)sär 

variants or less commonly tsar or tzar

1

: emperor

specifically : the ruler of Russia until the 1917 revolution

2

: one having great power or authority

a banking czar

czardom noun

or less commonly tsardom or tzardom

ˈzär-dəm 

ˈ(t)sär-

Synonyms

• magnate
• tycoon
• king
• prince
• captain
• baron
• mogul

Examples of czar in a Sentence

a showbiz czar who is said to be able to make or break a career

Recent Examples on the Web

According to White House border czar Tom Homan, more than 7,000 people so far have used a government app to self-deport. —Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 9 Aug. 2025

Having overseen that as the state's border czar, and before that as a U.S. Border Patrol agent, will give Banks the perspective needed once his purview expands to include New Mexico, Arizona and California, Cornyn said. —John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025

Sacks, who produced the new AI policy blueprint in his role as AI czar, described the new plan's three big pillars: accelerating innovation; building U.S. AI infrastructure; and leading in international diplomacy and security. —Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 24 July 2025

But, Madam Secretary, Tom Homan, the White House border czar, said as much this week. —NBC news, 13 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin czar, from Russian tsar', from Old Russian tsĭsarĭ, from Goth kaisar, from Greek or Latin; Greek, from Latin Caesar — more at caesar

First Known Use

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for czar

• ar
• are
• bar
• barr
• car
• carr
• char
• charr
• far
• farre
• haar
• har

Kids Definition

czar

noun

variants also tsar or tzar

ˈzär

1

: the ruler of Russia until the 1917 revolution

2

: one having great power or authority

a baseball czar

czardom noun

also tsardom or tzardom

ˈzärd-əm

Etymology

Latin czar "czar," from Russian tsar' (same meaning), from early Russian tsǐsarǐ, tsěsarǐ "emperor," from a Germanic word kaisar "emperor," derived from Latin Caesar (title of a line of Roman emperors after Augustus Caesar) see Word History at emperor