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dic·ta·to·ri·al

(dĭk′tə-tôrē-əl)

adj.

1. Tending to tell others what to do in an presumptuous manner.

2. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a dictator or dictatorship; autocratic.

dic′ta·tori·al·ly adv.

Synonyms: dictatorial, autocratic, authoritarian, imperious, tyrannical, domineering, overbearing
These adjectives mean imposing or tending to impose one's will on others. Dictatorial and autocratic stress the highhanded, peremptory manner characteristic of a dictator or despot: ordered the staff about in her usual dictatorial manner; an autocratic teacher who was uninterested in his students' opinions.
Authoritarian implies the expectation of unquestioning obedience: the timid child of authoritarian parents.
Imperious suggests the arrogant manner of one accustomed to commanding: dismissed my opinion with an imperious gesture.
Tyrannical connotes the zealous application of absolute power: was known as a tyrannical director who intimidated everyone on the set.
Domineering and overbearing imply a tendency to assert one's will in a rude or oppressive manner: a domineering child who told the group which games they would play; an overbearing customer demanding to see the manager.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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