# potentate

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpəʊ.tən.teɪt/

## Definitions
1. A powerful leader; a monarch; a ruler.
2. A powerful polity or institution.
3. A self-important person.
4. Someone acting in an important role.

## Etymology
From Middle English potentat, from Old French, from Late Latin potentātus (“rule, political power”), from Latin potēns (“powerful, strong”), the active present participle of possum (“I am able”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/potentate