POTUS

Q: What are some other acronyms like 'POTUS'?

The oldest -OTUS ("of the United States") acronym is SCOTUS ("Supreme Court of the United States"), in use since the 1870s. POTUS ("President of the United States") is the second oldest, coming some twenty years after SCOTUS . FLOTUS ("First Lady of the United States") is another, thought to have originated in the 1980s. Less common than these, but still occasionally found, is VPOTUS ("Vice President of the United States").

Q: Is 'POTUS' always capitalized?

The most common form of the word is POTUS , although it is also found as Potus . Less common, and formerly used more frequently in the early 20th century, is potus .

Q: What is the origin of the word 'POTUS'?

POTUS is an acronym created by taking the first letter of each word in "President of the United States." According to our earliest records of its use, it came into being in the 1890s as an abbreviation used by telegraph operators. POTUS was likely based on the slightly older SCOTUS ( S upreme C ourt o f t he U nited S tates), which had been used by telegraph operators since the 1870s.

abbreviation or noun

ˈpō-təs

variants or less commonly Potus

: the president of the United States

—often used like a nickname

The Bushes held their first state dinner. POTUS served buffalo meat, wore cowboy boots and welcomed Clint Eastwood.—Newsweek

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some other acronyms like POTUS?

The oldest -OTUS ("of the United States") acronym is SCOTUS ("Supreme Court of the United States"), in use since the 1870s. POTUS ("President of the United States") is the second oldest, coming some twenty years after SCOTUS. FLOTUS ("First Lady of the United States") is another, thought to have originated in the 1980s. Less common than these, but still occasionally found, is VPOTUS ("Vice President of the United States").

Is POTUS always capitalized?

The most common form of the word is POTUS, although it is also found as Potus. Less common, and formerly used more frequently in the early 20th century, is potus.

What is the origin of the word POTUS?

POTUS is an acronym created by taking the first letter of each word in "President of the United States." According to our earliest records of its use, it came into being in the 1890s as an abbreviation used by telegraph operators. POTUS was likely based on the slightly older SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States), which had been used by telegraph operators since the 1870s.

Examples of POTUS in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

But in Season 4, the balance is off, and the fictional president’s parallels to our real-life war-starting, ally-betraying POTUS only make the former’s plight feel that much more trivial. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026 Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026 Having said that, unlike many too-long cold opens, this semi-morbid midterm skit work at the extra length – entirely because POTUS came to cook, base loathing and all. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2026 According to The Irish Star, the POTUS’ close relationship with his executive assistant, Natalie Harp, has further strained his connection with Melania. — Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for POTUS

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of POTUS was in 1894

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“POTUS.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/POTUS. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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POTUS

abbreviation or noun

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POTUS

abbreviation or noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Examples of POTUS in a Sentence

Word History

Rhymes for POTUS

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What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

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