tin-pot dictator

noun
/ˌtɪnpɒt dɪkˈteɪtə/UK/ˌtɪnˌpɑt ˈdɪkˌteɪtəɹ/US

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. borrowed from dictātor — “a chief magistrate
  2. compounded as tin-pot dictator — “tin-pot + dictator

Definitions

  1. An autocratic ruler with little political credibility, typically having delusions of…

    An autocratic ruler with little political credibility, typically having delusions of grandeur.

    • Africa has no more tolerance for tinpot dictators.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for tin-pot dictator. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA