of, relating to, or of the nature of a republic.
favoring a republic.
fitting or appropriate for the citizen of a republic.
a very republican notion.
(initial capital letter) of or relating to the Republican Party.
a person who favors a republican form of government.
(initial capital letter) a member of the Republican Party.
of, resembling, or relating to a republic
supporting or advocating a republic
of, belonging to, or relating to a Republican Party
of, belonging to, or relating to the Irish Republican Army
a member or supporter of a Republican Party
a member or supporter of the Irish Republican Army
First recorded in 1685–95, republican is from the French word républicain, Middle French. See republic, -an
The adjective republican describes a government made up of representatives who are elected by the citizens. If you live in the United States, you’re part of a republican system of government. In a republican government, citizens have a lot of power — their vote determines who is running the government. The word republican has a noun and an adjective form. The noun is for a person who supports that style of government, and the adjective describes something with those characteristics. But if you see republican with a capital letter “r” — Republican — then that refers to a member of the Republican Party.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"I think it evidences the fact that there is an ongoing threat in respect of dissident republican activity," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
And as Wood explains in his great book, “The Radicalism of the American Revolution,” these ideas would spread and unleash the republican spirit of free men and women who built America.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
Independence required Americans to believe in the risky project of devising a new, republican constitution.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Black Americans who fought to make the United States into a multiracial democracy insisted that states that denied Black Americans full voting rights were not republican governments.
From Slate ● Jun. 3, 2026
He doubted whether the republican principles planted by the founding generation would grow in foreign soil.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
An Irish Catholic from Sacramento and a Reagan Republican, Kennedy had a generally conservative voting record over 30 years on the high court.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
Candidate filing opened this week for the Republican primary to replace deceased Sen. Lindsey Graham on November’s ballot.
From Slate ● Jul. 25, 2026
The support for these solutions proves that isn’t a Republican or a Democratic idea—it’s common sense.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
It comes days after Anthea Hartig, historian and director of the National Museum of American History, testified before a US House subcommittee and faced harsh criticism from Republican lawmakers.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Jefferson had not yet invented the expression “the revolution of 1800” to describe the Republican ascendancy.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
That leaves many Irish republicans in an unexpected position.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 13, 2026
The barrister also asked Mr Adams about meetings with UK government representatives which he had attended with other senior republicans in 1972 in an effort to negotiate an agreement following an IRA truce.
From BBC ● May 2, 2025
Maskey described his gesture as a "major step for republicans and nationalists on this island".
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2024
Militant Irish republicans had been paying close attention to Carson’s tactics — which anticipated Mao Zedong’s maxim about the source of political power — and would eagerly emulate his example in the years ahead.
From Salon ● Oct. 19, 2024
Of the generals, some, like Jourdan, were honest republicans; others, like Bernadotte, believed themselves capable of governing France.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 2 "French Literature" to "Frost, William" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
