podesta

noun

po·de·sta ˌpō-də-ˈstä

: a chief magistrate in a medieval Italian municipality

Word History

Etymology

Italian podestà, literally, power, from Latin potestat-, potestas, irregular from potis able — more at potent

First Known Use

1553, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of podesta was in 1553

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

podeon

podesta

podetial

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Podesta.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/podesta. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

contrite

Listen to the pronunciation of contrite

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Popular in Wordplay

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World