Duumvirate
[doo-UHM-vər-it]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Latin, 17th century
1.
A coalition of two people having joint authority or influence.
Examples of Duumvirate in a sentence
"After the founder brought her husband into the company, the pair operated as an equal duumvirate."
"Northern Ireland is a modern duumvirate ruled by the first minister and deputy first minister, who share identical powers."
About Duumvirate
“Duumvirate” is based on the Latin “duumvirātus,” formed by combining “duumviri” (meaning “of two men”) and the suffix “-ātus,” describing possession of a feature.
Did you Know?
A duumvirate is a circumstance in which two people hold joint authority or power. Numerous countries have governing duumvirates (also called “diarchies”), most notably Israel, which has the power to appoint two simultaneous prime ministers who change their positions and status halfway through the government’s mandate. While “duumvirate” often describes political systems, the term can also be used to describe any situation led by two equals. For example, a company run by a partnership between its CEO and its president is a duumvirate.
