democracy

noun

(uncountable) Rule by the people, especially as a form of government; either directly or through elected representatives (representative democracy).

(countable, government) A government under the direct or representative rule of the people of its jurisdiction.

(countable) A state with a democratic system of government.

(uncountable) Belief in political freedom and equality; the "spirit of democracy".

(obsolete, US) The Democratic Party.

Roots

demosdem- · Greek · people kratos-cracy · Greek · power, rule

Synonyms for democracy

republicn autocracyn ochlocracyn dictatorshipn commonwealthn socialismn mobocracyn tyrannyn autarchyn communismn

Synonyms & related words for democracy

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of democracy — including republic, autocracy, ochlocracy, dictatorship, commonwealth, socialism. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to democracy

Explore words related to democracy — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include prodemocratic, democratic, nondemocratic, democratization, constitutionalism, majoritarianism, democratically, antidemocratic. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for democracy

Common synonyms for democracy include republic, autocracy, ochlocracy, dictatorship, commonwealth, socialism, mobocracy, tyranny — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does democracy come from?

The word democracy breaks down into 2 roots of Greek origin: dem-, from Greek demos (“people”); and -cracy, from Greek kratos (“power, rule”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.