tsar

Definition

An emperor of Russia (1547 to 1917) and of some South Slavic states.

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).

Example Sentences

• "[W]hy, in the name of common sense, should the English call the Czar (tsar) of Russia razc?"
• "I vuz never beink too krazy about any of dose tsari."
• ">There IS a difference between the Russians as a group of people and Soviet communism! Ha ha ha! Know any other good ones? First their^([sic]) were the plain old tsari, then the red tsari (Stalin, etc) and know Putin is the 'new look' tsar. But the same beastly imperialist bullying goes on."

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