tin-pot dictator

See also: tinpot dictator

English

WOTD – 12 June 2024

Etymology

From tin-pot (“of inferior quality, shoddy; insignificant or minor, especially in an amusing and petty manner”) +‎ dictator, referring to the cheapness and poor quality of pots made from tin or tin plate.^[1]^[2]

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌtɪnpɒt dɪkˈteɪtə/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
(General American) IPA^(key): /ˌtɪnˌpɑt ˈdɪkˌteɪtəɹ/, [-ɾəɹ]
Rhymes: -eɪtə(ɹ)
Hyphenation: tin-pot dic‧ta‧tor

Noun

tin-pot dictator (plural tin-pot dictators)

(derogatory) An autocratic ruler with little political credibility, typically having delusions of grandeur.
- 1995, Edward S. Herman, Triumph of the Market: Essays on Economics, Politics, and the Media, South End Press, →ISBN, page 197:
  Broder did mention in passing that the Reagan administration had earlier supported the "tin-pot dictator" and drug trader Manuel Noriega, but he never mentioned George Shultz's presence and sanctioning of the fraudulent Panamanian election of 1984, which left Noriega in charge.

Alternative forms

tinpot dictator, tin pot dictator

Derived terms

tin-pot dictatorship

Translations

autocratic ruler with little political credibility

Finnish: pikkudiktaattori
Macedonian: please add this translation if you can

References

^ Compare “tin-pot, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, July 2023.
^ Compare “tin-pot, adj.”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.