potentate

noun

po·​ten·​tate ˈpō-tᵊn-ˌtāt How to pronounce potentate (audio)
: ruler, sovereign
broadly : one who wields great power or sway

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Potentate has been wielding its power in English since the 15th century. It comes from the Late Latin potentatus, which in turn was formed from the Latin potent-, meaning "powerful." Other descendants of potent- in English include potent itself, impotent, and omnipotent, as well as the archaic armipotent and very rare bellipotent (meaning, respectively, "mighty in battle" and "mighty in war"). Even power and powerful can be traced back to potent-.

Examples of potentate in a Sentence

Charles inherited the position of potentate of the Holy Roman Empire from his grandfather, as well that of king of Spain from his father.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With the pandemic, the year-round population of a once-seasonal resort town swelled with Manhattan refugees, those in the Trump orbit, and tech and finance potentates, many of them serious collectors like Ken Griffin and Steve Ross. Ben Widdicombe, Vulture, 12 May 2025 But in his mid-80s, King George ponders whether to abdicate and devote his remaining days to finding female companionship (the aging potentate remains potent with the help of Viagra and similar pharmaceuticals). Matthew Carey, Deadline, 5 May 2025 The cover of the first issue of The New Yorker, dated Feb. 21, 1925, carried no portraits of potentates or tycoons, no headlines, no come-ons. Christopher B. Daly, The Conversation, 11 Feb. 2025 Or were all those billionaire potentates in the Capitol Rotunda — seated in front of Trump’s Cabinet picks — asserting their social, economic and cultural hegemony? Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for potentate

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of potentate was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Potentate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potentate. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

potentate

noun
po·​ten·​tate ˈpōt-ᵊn-ˌtāt How to pronounce potentate (audio)
: a person who has controlling power : sovereign
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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