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tyrant
tyrant [ trənt ] (plural tyrants)


noun 
Definition:
 
1. absolute ruler: an absolute ruler who exercises power cruelly and unjustly
2. authoritarian person: an unjust and oppressive exerciser of authority
3. ancient Greek ruler: in ancient Greece, a ruler who took control of a state without legal sanction and governed with absolute power
[13th century. Via Old French< Latin tyrannus< Greek turannos]
Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P)2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
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