hospodar

American  

[hos-puh-dahr] / ˈhɒs pəˌdɑr /

noun

1. a former title of governors or princes of Wallachia and Moldova.

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hospodar British  

/ ˈhɒspəˌdɑː /

noun

1. (formerly) the governor or prince of Moldavia or Wallachia under Ottoman rule

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Etymology

Origin of hospodar

1620–30; < Romanian < Ukrainian gospodár' literally, lord; compare Russian Church Slavonic gospodarĭ (cognate with Czech hospodář, Serbo-Croatian gospòdār ), equivalent to gospodĭ lord + -arĭ noun suffix; gospodĭ perhaps < *gos ( tĭ )- potĭ, hence cognate with Latin hospes ( see host ¹), though d for t unexplained

Example Sentences

They considered ponderous recondite synonyms for potentate, but at length rejected hospodar, beglerbeg and three-tailed bashaw as offensively obscure.

From Time Magazine Archive

Stephan, Instead of being "the Czar of all the Servian lands and coasts," became a mere hospodar, who must do as he was bid by his masters, the Turks.

From Servia, Youngest Member of the European Family or, A Residence in Belgrade and Travels in the Highlands and Woodlands of the Interior, during the years 1843 and 1844. by Paton, Andrew Archibald

I thought to myself meanwhile: Our prince is descended from a Moldavian mother, and has as good a right to the throne of the hospodar as any one else; which rights, moreover, Prince Michael claimed.

From With Fire and Sword An Historical Novel of Poland and Russia. by Sienkiewicz, Henryk

Russia merely reserved to herself the appointment of the first hospodar of each principality.

From The Political History of England - Vol XI From Addington's Administration to the close of William IV.'s Reign (1801-1837) by Brodrick, George C. (George Charles)

In Little Russian the title hospodar is specially applied to the master of a house or the head of a family.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 7 "Horticulture" to "Hudson Bay" by Various