δεσπότης

Ancient Greek

Etymology

An original phrase from Proto-Indo-European *déms pótis (“master of the house”), from *dṓm (“house”) (whence also Ancient Greek δόμος (domos, “house”)), and *pótis (“master”) (whence also Ancient Greek πόσις (posis, “husband”)). Cognate with Sanskrit दम्पति (dám-pati, “lord of the house”).

Pronunciation

• (5th BC Attic): IPA: /despótɛ͜ɛs/

• (1st BC Egyptian): IPA: /dɛspóteːs/

• (4th AD Koine): IPA: /ðespótis/

• (10th AD Byzantine): IPA: /ðespótis/

• (15th AD Constantinopolitan): IPA: /ðespótis/

Noun

δεσπότης (genitive δεσπότου) m, first declension; (despotēs)

1. master, lord (most commonly in the context of one who owns slaves)
2. ruler, despot
3. generally: owner

Inflection

First declension of δεσπότης, δεσπότου

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	δεσπότης	δεσπότᾱ	δέσποται
Genitive	δεσπότου	δεσπόταιν	δεσποτῶν
Dative	δεσπότῃ	δεσπόταιν	δεσπόταις
Accusative	δεσπότην	δεσπότᾱ	δεσπότᾱς
Vocative	δέσποτᾰ	δεσπότᾱ	δέσποται

Note: Accusative singular in the Ionic dialect can be δεσπότεα or δεσπότεας.

Related terms

• δέσποινα (feminine form)
• δεσπόζω
• δεσπότις

Descendants

• Greek: δεσποτικός (despotikós), δεσποτισμός (despotismós)
• Latin: despota
• Russian: деспот (déspot)

References

• LSJ

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Greek

Noun

δεσπότης (despótis) m,   plural δεσπότες

1. despot, tyrant
2. (religion) bishop
3. bully
4. (historical) Title of a Byzantine regional ruler.

Synonyms

• τύραννος m (týrannos)
• αγάς m (agás)

Related terms

• δεσπόζω (despózo, “dominate”)
• δεσποτισμός m (despotismós, “despotism”)
• δεσποτικός (despotikós, “despotic”)