Potentate
Encyclopedia
Potentate is an informal term for a person with potent, usually supreme, power.
) for the head of a local Shrine. The head of the Shriners of North America is titled the Imperial Potentate. The staff and volunteers of the ISA (International Instrumentation Symposium) are also called potentates.
to describe Jesus, it can be found in . One example of this use is in the hymn
"Crown him with many crowns" in which Jesus is described as "potentate of time"
Originally, it designated the absolute monarch (synonymous with autocrat, which was also used as a title
) of a great state
.
From the negative connotations of such rule, mainly in the Orient
, derives its generalized use for the head of any totalitarian and/or abusive regime
, as a synonym for despot
, dictator
, or tyrant
(all three in the modern, derogatory sense, contrary to a rather lofty historical origin), also at a sub-state level, or even a big boss in private life.
The term is also used to describe an ambassador
performing negotiations on behalf of a large group. (States are often styled powers, in diplomatic language, even if politically and militarily weak).
Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine
Potentate is the title used by the A.A.O.N.M.S. (ShrinersShriners
The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also commonly known as Shriners and abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry, based in the United States...
) for the head of a local Shrine. The head of the Shriners of North America is titled the Imperial Potentate. The staff and volunteers of the ISA (International Instrumentation Symposium) are also called potentates.
Other uses
The term was used by the Christian ChurchChristian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
to describe Jesus, it can be found in . One example of this use is in the hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
"Crown him with many crowns" in which Jesus is described as "potentate of time"
Originally, it designated the absolute monarch (synonymous with autocrat, which was also used as a title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
) of a great state
Sovereign state
A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...
.
From the negative connotations of such rule, mainly in the Orient
Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
, derives its generalized use for the head of any totalitarian and/or abusive regime
Regime
The word regime refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature.-Politics:...
, as a synonym for despot
Despotism
Despotism is a form of government in which a single entity rules with absolute power. That entity may be an individual, as in an autocracy, or it may be a group, as in an oligarchy...
, dictator
Dictator
A dictator is a ruler who assumes sole and absolute power but without hereditary ascension such as an absolute monarch. When other states call the head of state of a particular state a dictator, that state is called a dictatorship...
, or tyrant
Tyrant
A tyrant was originally one who illegally seized and controlled a governmental power in a polis. Tyrants were a group of individuals who took over many Greek poleis during the uprising of the middle classes in the sixth and seventh centuries BC, ousting the aristocratic governments.Plato and...
(all three in the modern, derogatory sense, contrary to a rather lofty historical origin), also at a sub-state level, or even a big boss in private life.
The term is also used to describe an ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
performing negotiations on behalf of a large group. (States are often styled powers, in diplomatic language, even if politically and militarily weak).