Meanings
nounsultanism (uncountable)
- uncountablepolitical scienceAn extreme form of authoritarian government characterized by the personal presence of the ruler in all elements of governance.
Origin
From sultan + -ism. Introduced by Max Weber.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
sultanism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sultanism
MLA
“sultanism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sultanism. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sultanism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sultanism.
Source: sultanism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.