authoritarian

English

Etymology

Circa 1880 authority +‎ -arian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔːˌθɒrɪˈtɛːrɪən/
• IPA^(key): /əˌθɔrəˈtɛriən/, /əˌθɒrəˈtɛriən/, /ɔˌθɔrəˈtɛriən/, /ɔˌθɒrəˈtɛriən/

• Audio (US):

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Adjective

authoritarian (comparative more authoritarian, superlative most authoritarian)

1. Of, or relating to, absolute obedience to an authority.
2. Characterised by a tyrannical obedience to an authority; dictatorial.

   The authoritarian government was demanding stricter laws for low-wage peasants.

3. Tending to impose one's demands upon others as if one were an authority.

Synonyms

• (characterised by a tyrannical obedience to an authority): illiberal, oppressive
• (tending to impose one's demands): arrogant, commanding, haughty, imperious
• See also Thesaurus:bossy

Antonyms

• (characterised by a tyrannical obedience to an authority): liberal
• (tending to impose one's demands): servile, humble, modest

Derived terms

• antiauthoritarian
• authoritarianism
• authoritarianity
• authoritarianly
• authoritarianness

Translations

of, or relating to, absolute obedience to an authority

• Catalan: autoritari (ca)
• Danish: autoritær (da)
• Finnish: autoritaarinen (fi)
• French: autoritaire (fr)
• German: autoritär (de)
• Greek: αυταρχικός (el) m (aftarchikós)
• Japanese: 権柄ずくの (kempei zuku no), 権威主義的な (ken'i shugiteki na)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: autoritær

  Nynorsk: autoritær

• Portuguese: autoritário (pt)
• Russian: авторита́рный (ru) (avtoritárnyj)
• Spanish: autoritario (es)
• Swedish: auktoritär (sv)

characterised by a tyrannical obedience to an authority; dictatorial

• Albanian: please add this translation if you can
• Arabic: اِسْتِبْدَادِيّ (istibdādiyy)
• Armenian: please add this translation if you can
• Belarusian: аўтарыта́рны (aŭtarytárny)
• Catalan: autoritari (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: autoritářský m
• Danish: autoritær (da)
• Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: autoritaarinen (fi)
• French: autoritaire (fr)
• Georgian: please add this translation if you can
• German: autoritär (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek: απολυταρχικός (el) m (apolytarchikós)
• Japanese: 権柄ずくの (kempei zuku no), 権威主義的な (ken'i shugiteki na), 威圧的な (iatsuteki na)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: autoritær

  Nynorsk: autoritær

• Polish: autorytatywny (pl)
• Portuguese: autoritário (pt)
• Romanian: autoritar (ro) m or n
• Russian: авторита́рный (ru) (avtoritárnyj)
• Spanish: autoritario (es)
• Tagalog: please add this translation if you can
• Thai: please add this translation if you can
• Turkish: otoriter (tr)
• Ukrainian: авторита́рний (uk) (avtorytárnyj)

tending to impose one's demands upon others as if one were an authority

• Catalan: autoritari (ca)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 高傲 (zh) (gāo'ào)

• Danish: autoritær (da)
• French: autoritaire (fr)
• Greek: αυταρχικός (el) m (aftarchikós)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 横柄な (ja) (ōhei na), 傲慢な (ja) (gōman na), 高慢な (ja) (kōman na)
• Maori: whakatopatopa
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: autoritær

  Nynorsk: autoritær

• Portuguese: autoritário (pt), mandão
• Russian: авторита́рный (ru) (avtoritárnyj)

Noun

authoritarian (plural authoritarians)

1. One who commands absolute obedience to his or her authority.

   The dictator was an authoritarian.

2. One who follows and is excessively obedient to authority.
   • 2006, Robert Altemeyer, The Authoritarians

Translations

one who commands absolute obedience to his or her authority

• Czech: autoritář m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Arabic: مُتَسَلِّط (mutasalliṭ), مُسْتَبِدّ (mustabidd)
• Greek: απολυταρχικός (el) m (apolytarchikós)

one who follows authority

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} autoritaire (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}