a ruler with great power, especially one who uses it in a cruel way an enlightened despot (= one who tries to use his/her power in a good way)
NAmE//dɛˈspɑt̮ɪk//, NAmE//dɪˈspɑt̮ɪk//
adjective despotic power/ruleSee despot in the Oxford Advanced Learner's DictionaryCheck pronunciation: despot