Podesta (surname)

In the past, the Podesta was a high official in Italian republics of the medieval or early modern period. (Currently, Podestà is still the title of some Italian magistrates,[1] and of mayors in Italian-speaking municipalities of Graubünden in Switzerland.)

By extension, the word has been used in English to designate a particularly powerful government official or potentate.[2]

The Italian title gave rise to a surname, which then gave rise to a company name.

Spelling variants

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The surname has Italian, Spanish and English spellings which vary only by the position of an accent over the final "a".

Italian spelling: Podestà

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In its Italian spelling (grave accent over the "a") the name "Podestà" may refer to:

Spanish spelling: Podestá

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In its Spanish spelling (with an acute accent over the "a") the name "Podestá" may refer to:

Spanish spelling: Podest

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  • Erika Podest, Panamanian environmental earth scientist for NASA

English spelling: Podesta

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In its English spelling (with no accent), the name "Podesta" may refer to:

English spelling: DePodesta

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  • Paul DePodesta (born 1972), American football executive and former baseball executive

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Collins English Dictionary, entry "Podesta", accessed 3 September 2016.
  2. ^ E.g. see Thomas Frank, "The life of the parties: The influence of "influence" in Washington", Le Monde Diplomatique (English edition), 6 July 2016, accessed 3 September 2016.