English
despot
Despot comes from Ancient Greek δεσπότης ‘lord, master, owner’, from Proto-Indo-European *dṓm ‘house’, and ultimately from *dem- ‘to build’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dem-‘to build’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dṓm‘house’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déms pótis‘master of the house’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*déspotisreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδεσπότηςdespótēs‘lord, master, owner’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500despota
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400despote
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2009despot
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dem-‘to build’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dṓm‘house’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déms pótis‘master of the house’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*déspotisreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδεσπότηςdespótēs‘lord, master, owner’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500despota
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400despote
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2009despot
Earliest quotation: 2009, Steven Rosefielde, Red Holocaust: “The Red Holocaust is best interpreted in this light…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dem- ‘to build’
timber, domino, domaine, toft, teem, domesticate, 20 more
through Proto-Indo-European *dṓm ‘house’
don, danger, domestic, domain, dominate, donna, domination, dominion, damsel, domicile, dominatrix, domus, 21 more
Today it means
noun A ruler with absolute power; a tyrant.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dem- / despot