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Chairman vs Potentate - What's the difference?

chairman | potentate | Related terms |

Chairman is a related term of potentate.


As nouns the difference between chairman and potentate

is that chairman is a person (implied male) presiding over a meeting while potentate is a powerful leader; a monarch; a ruler.

chairman

Noun

(chairmen)
  • A person (implied male) presiding over a meeting.
  • The head of a corporate or governmental board of directors, a committee, or other formal entity.
  • (historical) Someone whose job is to carry people in a portable chair, sedan chair, or similar conveyance.
  • * 1749 , Henry Fielding, Tom Jones , Folio Society 1973, p. 618:
  • Mr Western entered; but not before a small wrangling bout had passed between him and his chairmen ; for the fellows, who had taken up their burden at the Hercules Pillars, had conceived no hopes of having any future good customer in the squire [...]
  • * 1836 , Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers ?
  • Mr. Winkle, catching sight of a lady's face at the window of the sedan, turned hastily round, plied the knocker with all his might and main, and called frantically upon the chairman to take the chair away again.

    Usage notes

    Historically meant a man, now also used for women.

    Antonyms

    * chairwoman

    Hypernyms

    * chair, chairperson * presiding officer, presider

    potentate

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A powerful leader; a monarch; a ruler
  • * 1592 , , Henry VI, Part I , act iii, scene 2
  • But Kings and mightie?t Potentates mu?t die,
    For that's the end of humane mi?erie.
  • * 1900 , , "Sister Carrie"
  • She was now one of a group of oriental beauties who, in the second act of the comic opera, were paraded by the vizier before the new potentate as the treasures of his harem.