potentate

"The small village feared the potentate, who controlled all their land and resources. "

"The large corporation, acting as a potentate in the small town, controlled most of the jobs and influenced local politics. "

"The new student, a potentate in his own mind, believed he was too important to participate in class discussions. "

"You are correct! "Potentate" is a noun, not an adjective. My apologies. Here's a sentence that correctly uses "potentate" as a noun:

"The small country feared the neighboring potentate, who controlled a vast army and a wealth of resources." "