presidente
Wordform Details
Translation: president
Part of Speech: noun
Inflection Type:
masculinesingularIs Dictionary Form: Yes
Dictionary Form Details
Lemma Details
Translation: president; chairperson; presiding officer
Part of Speech: noun
Etymology: From Latin 'praesidens' (sitting before, presiding over), present participle of 'praesidere' (to preside, to sit in front of), from 'prae' (before) + 'sedere' (to sit). The English cognate 'president' follows the same Latin origin. The term originally referred to one who presides over a meeting or gathering before taking on its modern political meaning.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 95%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
El presidente dio un discurso importante anoche.
The president gave an important speech last night.
La presidenta de la compañía anunció nuevas políticas.
The president of the company announced new policies.
Fue elegido presidente del comité por unanimidad.
He was unanimously elected chairman of the committee.
Mnemonics
- Think of someone who 'pre-sits' (sits before) others in a position of authority.
- Relates to 'preside' in English - the one who presides is the presidente.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
In Spanish-speaking countries, 'presidente' is used for both political leaders and those who preside over organizations. The feminine form 'presidenta' is increasingly common when referring to female presidents, though 'presidente' can be used for both genders. In Latin America, presidents often hold significant power in presidential systems of government.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: 'Presidente' means 'president' while 'precedente' means 'precedent' (a previous case or example). They look similar but have different meanings and stress patterns.
Confused word:
Este caso crea un precedente legal importante.
This case creates an important legal precedent.
Notes: The stress in 'presidente' is on the penultimate syllable (presiDENte), while in 'precedente' it's on the antepenultimate syllable (preCEdente).
Mnemonic: 'Presidente' has 'si' in the middle, like 'preSIdent', while 'precedente' has 'ce', like 'preCEdent'.
Explanation: 'Presidente' refers to a leader or chair, while 'residente' means 'resident' (someone who lives in a place).
This word:
El presidente del país visitó nuestra ciudad.
The president of the country visited our city.
Confused word:
Soy residente de Madrid desde hace diez años.
I have been a resident of Madrid for ten years.
Notes: 'Presidente' indicates a position of leadership, while 'residente' simply indicates where someone lives.
Mnemonic: 'Presidente' starts with 'pre-' (before others), while 'residente' starts with 're-' (remaining in a place).