podesta

[ poh-des-tuh, poh-duh-stah ]

noun

1. any of certain magistrates in Italy, as a chief magistrate in medieval towns and republics.
2. a person appointed to serve as mayor of an Italian city during the Fascist regime.

podesta

/ pɒˈdɛstə; podeˈsta /

noun

1. (in modern Italy) a subordinate magistrate in some towns
2. (in Fascist Italy) the chief magistrate of a commune
3. in medieval Italy
   1. any of the governors of the Lombard cities appointed by Frederick Barbarossa
   2. a chief magistrate in any of various republics, such as Florence

Word History and Origins

Origin of podesta¹

1540–50; < Italian podestà power < Latin potestās power, command

Word History and Origins

Origin of podesta¹

C16: from Italian: power, from Latin potestās ability, power, from posse to be able

Example Sentences

On Monday, US President Joe Biden's envoy John Podesta called out president-elect Trump's view that climate change was a hoax and said the US team would continue to work on the deal passed at COP28 in 2023.

From BBC

John Podesta, a Biden administration appointee, labelled the incoming president a climate denier and said he would dismantle environmental safeguards.

From BBC

However, the election wasn’t the end of the struggle, Mr Podesta told reporters.

From BBC

“We’re still counting votes,” John Podesta, Clinton’s campaign chairman, said in 2016.

From Los Angeles Times

By the time Podesta and Richmond had taken the stage, the party had stopped, people had left, and those who remained looked forlorn.

From Los Angeles Times