(historical) An emperor of Russia (1547 to 1917) and of some South Slavic states.
(figuratively) A person with great power; an autocrat.
Frequency
Pronounced as (IPA)
/(t)sɑː/
Etymology
Etymology tree
Latin Caesarbor.
Proto-Germanic *kaisarazder.
Proto-Slavic *cěsařь
Old East Slavic цѣсарь (cěsarĭ)
Old East Slavic цьсарь (cĭsarĭ)
Russian царь (carʹ)bor.
English tsar
Borrowed from Russian царь (carʹ), from Old East Slavic цьсарь (cĭsarĭ), from Proto-Slavic *cěsařь, from a Germanic language, from Proto-Germanic *kaisaraz, from Latin Caesar. Doublet of Caesar and Kaiser. The spelling tsar began to replace the older czar in the nineteenth century. Compare Byzantine Greek Τζαῖσαρ (Tzaîsar).