autocrat

/ˈɔːtəkɹæt/

//ˈɔːtəkɹæt// noun

"autocrat" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“autocrat” is an uncommon English word, ranked #54,026 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#54,026
frequency rank, English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An absolute ruler with infinite power.

Key facts for autocrat
PropertyValue
Headwordautocrat
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɔːtəkɹæt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#54,026
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “autocrat” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). autocrat lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for autocrat is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɔːtəkɹæt/. Corpus data places it at rank #54,026 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

autocrat has no tracked misspelling variants, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. Our dataset records no confusable match here, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French autocrate, itself from Ancient Greek αὐτοκρατής (autokratḗs, “sovereign”), from αὐτο- (auto-, “self”) (combining form of αὐτός (autós)) + κράτος (krátos, “strength, power”) + -ης (-ēs). By surface analysis, auto- + -crat. The correct English form is autocrat, spelled A-U-T-O-C-R-A-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    An absolute ruler with infinite power.
  2. 2
    A title borne by some such monarchs, as in Byzantium and tsarist Russia.
  3. 3
    Until the 20th century, a favorable description of a ruler who was connected with the concept of lack of conflicts of interest and an indication of grandeur and power.

Etymology

Borrowed from French autocrate, itself from Ancient Greek αὐτοκρατής (autokratḗs, “sovereign”), from αὐτο- (auto-, “self”) (combining form of αὐτός (autós)) + κράτος (krátos, “strength, power”) + -ης (-ēs). By surface analysis, auto- + -crat.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "autocrat"?
"autocrat" is spelled A-U-T-O-C-R-A-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɔːtəkɹæt/.
What does "autocrat" mean?
As a noun, "autocrat" means: An absolute ruler with infinite power.
How do you pronounce "autocrat"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "autocrat" is /ˈɔːtəkɹæt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "autocrat"?
Borrowed from French autocrate, itself from Ancient Greek αὐτοκρατής (autokratḗs, “sovereign”), from αὐτο- (auto-, “self”) (combining form of αὐτός (autós)) + κράτος (krátos, “strength, power”) + -ης (-ēs). By surface analysis, auto- + -crat. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “autocrat”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-U-T-O-C-R-A-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɔːtəkɹæt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list