Rulers with complete power who obtained control by force and aren't elected; leaders who demand absolute obedience.
From Latin 'dictator,' originally meaning 'one who dictates' or 'one who speaks.' In ancient Rome, a dictator was a magistrate given temporary absolute power during emergencies.
The word 'dictator' took on a negative meaning only gradually—in Roman times it was sometimes a necessary emergency role, but as absolute rulers abused power, the term became synonymous with tyranny and oppression.
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