n.
Pronunciation: dik- ' t ā -t ə r- ˌ ship, ' dik- ˌ
Function: noun
Date: 1542
1 : the office of dictator
2 : autocratic rule, control, or leadership
3 a : a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a dictator or a small clique b : a government organization or group in which absolute power is so concentrated c : a despotic state