supreme leader

Noun capitalized: Supreme Leader

Supreme Leader (plural Supreme Leaders)

1. The head of state and commander-in-chief of the entire armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the authority to dismiss the Iranian president. The Supreme Leader is also the highest-ranking spiritual leader in Iran.
   • The conventional wisdom in Washington is that Iran’s elections are insignificant. Regardless of who wins, the argument goes, in the end, it’s the supreme leader who calls the shots.2021 June 22, Ali Vaez, Dina Esfandiary, “The Hard-Liners Won in Iran. That’s Not All Bad News.”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
2. The highest-ranking member of a country, who has absolute power.
   • Watched by hundreds of thousands of troops and civilians packed into Kim Il-sung Square—named after the regime's first leader, who died in 1994—Kim Jong-un watched from a balcony overlooking the plaza as he was declared “supreme leader” of the ruling Workers' party, military and people.2011 December 29, Justin McCurr, “Kim Jong-un declared ‘supreme leader’ in North Korea”, in The Guardian
   • Our revolution, which has achieved victory over many decades, continuing into the new century, has welcomed the new Supreme Leader.2014, 39:40 from the start, in Secret State of North Korea, PBS, →ISBN, →OCLC