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

Examples of czar in a Sentence

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.
Adams, who now faces federal corruption charges, appointed a rat czar in 2023 to work across multiple agencies, coordinating work by pest control companies and property managers. Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024 Kennedy is more likely to have a role as a White House czar rather than one that would require Senate confirmation, the Post reported. Sara Dorn, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024 If only for Penn’s explanation of Creegan’s outsize strategic importance, Trowbridge’s description of her as uniquely qualified to serve as the U.S. nuclear czar seems correct. Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024 She's had a chance to be the border czar and failed miserably. ABC News, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for czar 

Word History

Etymology

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

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of czar was in 1555

Dictionary Entries Near czar

Cite this Entry

“Czar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/czar. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!