democracy

B1 Topic:Politics & International Affairs

US /dɪˈmɑ.kɹə.si/ UK /dɪˈmɒk.ɹə.si/ See IPA manual

Freq #5004

Meanings

1

noun
A system of government in which people choose their leaders by voting.

In a democracy, every citizen has the right to vote.
2

noun
A country that is governed by its people through elections.

South Africa became a democracy in 1994.
3

noun
The belief in political freedom and equality among people.

They fought hard for democracy and equal rights.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a system of government in... republic commonwealth

More democratism

Word family

Forms democracies

Derived forms algorithmocracyantidemocracyaristodemocracycounterdemocracycyberdemocracydemocracidedemocratizedemocrazydemokkkracydemonocracydotmocracydumbocracy

Related forms democrat democratic

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

parliamentary democracy
a democratic system of government organized around an elected parliament

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Democracy was borrowed into late Middle English from French and ultimately comes from Greek demokratia. The Greek word combines demos ‘the people’ with kratia ‘power, rule’.

Etymology

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

democratie Middle French dēmocratia la-med δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Politics & International Affairs

External links

# democracy

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈmɑ.kɹə.si/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈmɒk.ɹə.si/
**Frequency rank:** 5004

## Meanings
1. A system of government in which people choose their leaders by voting.
2. A country that is governed by its people through elections.
3. The belief in political freedom and equality among people.

## Examples
- In a democracy, every citizen has the right to vote.
- South Africa became a democracy in 1994.
- They fought hard for democracy and equal rights.

## Synonyms
- democratism

## Derived Forms
- algorithmocracy
- antidemocracy
- aristodemocracy
- counterdemocracy
- cyberdemocracy
- democracide
- democratize
- democrazy
- demokkkracy
- demonocracy
- dotmocracy
- dumbocracy

## Related Forms
- democrat
- democratic

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: democratie
- Root: dēmocratia
- Root: δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ
- Affix: -cy - state
- Affix: -cracy - rule

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

## AI Etymology
democracy comes from Middle French democratie (French démocratie), from Medieval Latin dēmocratia, from Ancient Greek δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (dēmokrătĭ́ā). By surface analysis, demo- (“people”) + -cracy (“rule”). The historical chain includes Middle French democratie, la-med dēmocratia, Ancient Greek δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ. Current senses include A system of government in which people choose their leaders by voting and A country that is governed by its people through elections. English relatives and later formations include algorithmocracy, antidemocracy, aristodemocracy, democrat, democratic.

## Topics
- Politics & International Affairs

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