podesta

See also: Podesta, podestà, and Podestà

English

Etymology

From Italian podesta, from Latin potestas (“power; powerful one”). Doublet of poustie. See potent.

Noun

podesta (plural podestas)

1. (now historical) A chief magistrate of various Italian republics and city-states in the Middle Ages. [from 16th c.]
   • 2022, Jane Stevenson, Siena, Head of Zeus, p. 65:

     Secular palaces, such as that of the Tolomei, were rented for municipal use, and officials such as the Podestà were found lodgings in others.

2. (now historical) A municipal administrator during the Italian Fascist regime (1927–43).
   • 1943, Iris Origo, War in Val d'Orcia, Pushkin Press, published 2017, page 131:

     M.B. herself is tormented by anxiety […] for her husband, who, as Podestà of this town, is likely soon to get into trouble.

Derived terms

• podestaressa

Anagrams

• toepads

Italian

Etymology

From Latin potestātem via the nominative form. Compare podestà, from the Latin accusative potestātem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /poˈdɛ.sta/
• Rhymes: -ɛsta
• Hyphenation: po‧dè‧sta

Noun

podesta m or f (invariable)

1. (archaic) Synonym of podestà

Further reading

• podesta in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana