/ ˈdespɒt; NAmE ˈdespɑːt/ noun
a ruler with great power, especially one who uses it in a cruel way :
an enlightened despot (= one who tries to use his / her power in a good way)
► des·pot·ic / dɪˈspɒtɪk; NAmE -ˈspɑːt-/ adjective :
despotic power / rule
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: from French despote , via medieval Latin from Greek despotēs master, absolute ruler. Originally (after the Turkish conquest of Constantinople) the term denoted a minor Christian ruler under the Turkish empire. The current sense dates from the late 18th cent.