Etymology

podesta

P3O1D2E1S1T1A1

Today it means: A chief magistrate of various Italian republics and city-states in the Middle Ages. Full definition →

First used 16th c.Italian podesta ← Latin potestas
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podesta · noun1

  1. Latin · derived frompotestas“power; powerful one”
  2. Italian · derived frompodesta
  3. English todaypodesta

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

Podesta · proper noun2

  1. Italian · borrowed fromPodestà
  2. English todayPodesta

Borrowed from Italian Podestà.

Words from the same roots

Latinpotestas all →

potestatepoustie

First known use, by meaning

  • from 16th c. A chief magistrate of various Italian republics and city-states in the Middle Ages.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.