czar

or tsar, tzar

[ zahr, tsahr ]

noun

1. an emperor or king.
2. (often initial capital letter) the former emperor of Russia.
3. an autocratic ruler or leader.
4. any person exercising great authority or power in a particular field:

   a czar of industry.

czar

/ zɑː /

noun

1. a variant spelling (esp US) of tsar

czar

1. The title of rulers or emperors of Russia from the sixteenth century until the Russian Revolution . The czars ruled as absolute monarchs ( see absolute monarchy ) until the early twentieth century, when a parliament was established in Russia. Czar can also be spelled tsar .

Notes

The term czar is sometimes applied generally to a powerful leader or to a government administrator with wide-ranging powers.

Derived Forms

• ˈczardom, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of czar¹

First recorded in 1545–55; from Russian tsar', Old Russian tsĭsarĭ “emperor, king” (akin to Old Church Slavonic tsěsarĭ ), from Gothic kaisar “emperor” (from Greek or Latin ); Greek kaîsar, from Latin Caesar; Caesar ( def )

Related Words

• ruler