condottiere: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare/ArchaisingFormal/Literary/Historical
Quick answer
What does “condottiere” mean?
A leader of a mercenary band in Renaissance Italy.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A leader of a mercenary band in Renaissance Italy.
A hired military leader or a mercenary commander. More broadly, can refer to a person who operates with great independence, often in a commercial or political context, using opportunistic and sometimes unscrupulous methods.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. The word is equally historical and rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical connotations of Renaissance Italy, mercenary leadership, and historical intrigue.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both. Slightly more likely to appear in British academic historical texts due to European focus, but the difference is negligible.
Grammar
How to Use “condottiere” in a Sentence
[a/the/our] condottierecondottiere of [place/army]like a condottiereVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphor for a corporate raider or an aggressive, independent CEO who builds wealth by acquiring and selling companies.
Academic
Used in historical studies of Renaissance Italy, military history, and political theory.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Not used in modern technical fields outside of specialist historical discourse.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “condottiere”
- Pronouncing it as 'con-dot-ee-air' (should have four syllables with stress on the penultimate 'e').
- Using it to refer to a modern regular army officer.
- Misspelling as 'condotierre' or 'condotiere'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The plural is 'condottieri' (pronounced with a final 'ee' sound).
Yes, but only metaphorically, to suggest someone is a ruthless, opportunistic leader or entrepreneur who operates like a mercenary, switching loyalties for gain.
It is an Italian loanword that has been fully adopted into English, primarily for historical and literary use. It is italicised less frequently than other loanwords due to its established history in English texts.
A condottiere is specifically the leader or commander of a band of mercenaries. A mercenary is an individual hired soldier. All condottieri were mercenary leaders, but not all mercenaries were condottieri.
A leader of a mercenary band in Renaissance Italy.
Condottiere is usually formal/literary/historical in register.
Condottiere: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒndɒtɪˈɛəreɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɑːndətiˈɛreɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[To act/operate/behave] like a condottiere (metaphorically, for opportunistic business or political dealings).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
CONDOTTIERE: Think of a CONtractor with a DOTTI (doughty/brave) band, leading for hire (E-RE).
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICS/WAR IS COMMERCE. A leader is a contractor; followers are employees; territory and power are commodities.
Practice
Quiz
A 'condottiere' is most closely associated with which historical context?