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-cracy

  1. a combining form occurring in loanwords from Greek ( aristocracy; democracy ); on this model used, with the meaning “rule,” “government,” “governing body,” to form abstract nouns from stems of other origin:

    mobocracy; bureaucracy.



-cracy

combining form

  1. indicating a type of government or rule See also -crat

    mobocracy

    plutocracy

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Word History and Origins

Origin of -cracy1

< Middle French -cracie (now -cratie ) < Late Latin -cratia < Greek -kratia, equivalent to krát ( os ) rule, strength, might (akin to hard ) + -ia -y 3
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Word History and Origins

Origin of -cracy1

from Greek -kratia, from kratos power

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Words That Use -cracy

What does -cracy mean?

The combining form -cracy is used like a suffix meaning “rule” or “government.” It is often used in technical terms, especially in sociology.

The form -cracy comes from Greek krátos, meaning “rule” and “strength.”

What are variants of -cracy?

While -cracy doesn’t have any variants, it is related to the form -crat, as in plutocrat. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use -crat article.

Examples of -cracy

An example of a familiar word that features -cracy is democracy, “government by the people.” Democracy comes from Greek dēmokratía, which uses the equivalent form of -cracy.

The demo- part of the word means “people,” from Greek dêmos, while the form -cracy means “government.” Democracy literally translates to “people’s government.”

What are some words that use the combining form -cracy?

What are some other forms that -cracy may be commonly confused with?

Break it down!

The combining form gyno- means “woman” or “female.” With this in mind, what kind of government is a gynocracy?

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