tin-pot dictator

See also: tinpot dictator

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From tin-pot (“cheap metal disposable container”) +‎ dictator.

Noun

tin-pot dictator (plural tin-pot dictators)

  1. An autocratic ruler with little political credibility, but with self-delusions of grandeur.

Usage notes

Although still used today, this is a pejorative term coined in the days of the colonial British Empire, and referred to the Victorian innovation of the tin-pot, a very cheap metal container, the forerunner of the modern tin can.

  • tin-pot dictatorship

See also
  • petty tyranny
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.