democracy

English Online Dictionary. What means democracy‎? What does democracy mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle French democratie (French démocratie), from Medieval Latin dēmocratia, from Ancient Greek δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (dēmokrătĭ́ā).
By surface analysis, demo- (“people”) +‎ -cracy (“rule”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪˈmɒk.ɹə.si/
• (US, Canada) IPA^(key): /dɪˈmɑ.kɹə.si/
• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /dɪˈmɔk.ɹə.si/
• Hyphenation: de‧moc‧ra‧cy

Noun

democracy (countable and uncountable, plural democracies)

1. (uncountable) Rule by the people, especially as a form of government; either directly or through elected representatives (representative democracy).
2. (countable, government) A government under the direct or representative rule of the people of its jurisdiction.
3. (countable) A state with a democratic system of government.
4. (uncountable) Belief in political freedom and equality; the "spirit of democracy".

Synonyms

• democratism (the principles or spirit of a democracy)

Coordinate terms

• (a form of government): monarchy, aristocracy, dictatorship

Derived terms

Related terms

• democrat
• democratic

Descendants

Translations

References

• “democracy”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• democracy in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
• "democracy" in Raymond Williams, Keywords (revised), 1983, Fontana Press, page 93.
• “democracy”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.