czar

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈzär How to pronounce czar (audio) ˈ(t)sär How to pronounce czar (audio)
variants or less commonly tsar or tzar
Synonyms of czar
1
: emperor
specifically : the ruler of Russia until the 1917 revolution
2
: one having great power or authority
a banking czar
czardom
ˈzär-dəm How to pronounce czar (audio) ˈ(t)sär- How to pronounce czar (audio)
noun
or less commonly tsardom or tzardom

czardom

2 of 2

noun (2)

czar·​dom ˈzär-dəm How to pronounce czardom (audio)
ˈ(t)sär-
variants or less commonly tsardom
plural -s
1
: the territory ruled by a czar
the czardom of Moscow … became aware of itself as the heir of Constantinople—R. M. French
2
: the office or authority of a czar
the memorable revolt … against the czardom of Speaker Cannon—Allan Nevins

Synonyms of czar

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Noun (1)

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Examples of czar in a Sentence

Noun (1) a showbiz czar who is said to be able to make or break a career
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.
Noun
In July, Tom Homan, the White House border czar, said ICE would investigate apparent shortcomings in the vetting of an officer who shot and killed a 25-year-old motorist in Maine. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 Countless speakers left the Pale of Settlement – the territory in Eastern Europe where Jews had been granted permission to live under an edict of the Russian czars. — Ilan Stavans, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026 Less than 48 hours later, Walden found himself without a job, having been waived by Parcells, then the Dolphins’ czar, the following Tuesday. — Omar Kelly august 30, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026 Continue reading … BLUNT REBUKE — Border czar fires back at Dem who warned agents would 'terrorize' Black Americans. — FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for czar

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

New Latin czar, from Russian tsar', from Old Russian tsĭsarĭ, from Goth kaisar, from Greek or Latin; Greek, from Latin Caesar — more at caesar

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of czar was in 1555

Rhymes for czar

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Browse Nearby Words

Czapek-Dox medium
czar
czardas
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Czar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/czar. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

czar

noun
variants also tsar or tzar
ˈzär
1
: the ruler of Russia until the 1917 revolution
2
: one having great power or authority
a baseball czar
czardom noun
also tsardom or tzardom
ˈzärd-əm
Etymology

Noun

Latin czar "czar," from Russian tsar' (same meaning), from early Russian tsǐsarǐ, tsěsarǐ "emperor," from a Germanic word kaisar "emperor," derived from Latin Caesar (title of a line of Roman emperors after Augustus Caesar) see Word History at emperor

More from Merriam-Webster on czar

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about czar

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