Definition: Tyranny
Etymology
From Middle English tirannye, from Old French tyrannie, from Medieval Latin tyrannia, tyrania, from Ancient Greek τυραννία or turannía (tyranny), from τύραννος or túrannos (lord, master, sovereign, tyrant).
Noun
tyranny (countable and uncountable, plural tyrannies)
- A government in which a single ruler (a tyrant) has absolute power; this system of government.
- The office or jurisdiction of an absolute ruler.
- Absolute power, or its use.
- A system of government in which power is exercised on behalf of the ruler or ruling class, without regard to the wishes of the governed.
- Extreme severity or rigor.
Derived terms
- tyrannical
Related terms
- tyrant
Credits
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