dictatorship
nounfeminine/ditɐˈduɾɐ/high
di·ta·du·ra
Definitions
1Authoritarian political regime in which power is concentrated in a single person or group, without free elections, party pluralism, and with restrictions on individual freedoms.
The dictatorship in Portugal ended with the Revolution of April 25, 1974.
Many countries suffered under dictatorships during the 20th century.
Common collocations
military dictatorshipfascist dictatorshipoverthrow a dictatorshiplive under a dictatorship
2In Marxist theory, a transitional phase of proletarian rule after the revolution, before communist society.
Some theorists argued for the necessity of a dictatorship of the proletariat.
The concept is controversial even within the left.
Common collocations
dictatorship of the proletariat (Marxist term)
Etymology
Do latim 'dictatura', de 'dictator' (aquele que dita ordens).