democracy

[dih-mok-ruh-see]

noun

plural

democracies 

1. government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.

2. a state having such a form of government.

   The United States and Canada are democracies.

3. a state of society characterized by formal equality of rights and privileges.

4. political or social equality; democratic spirit.

5. the common people of a community as distinguished from any privileged class; the common people with respect to their political power.

democracy

/ dɪˈmɒkrəsɪ /

noun

1. government by the people or their elected representatives

2. a political or social unit governed ultimately by all its members

3. the practice or spirit of social equality

4. a social condition of classlessness and equality

5. the common people, esp as a political force

democracy

1. A system of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives.

Democratic institutions, such as parliaments, may exist in a monarchy. Such constitutional monarchies as Britain, Canada, and Sweden are generally counted as democracies in practice.

Other Word Forms

• antidemocracy noun
• nondemocracy noun
• predemocracy noun
• prodemocracy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of democracy¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French démocratie, from Late Latin dēmocratia, from Greek dēmokratía “popular government,” equivalent to dēmo- demo- + -kratia -cracy

Word History and Origins

Origin of democracy¹

C16: from French démocratie, from Late Latin dēmocratia, from Greek dēmokratia government by the people; see _demo- , _-cracy

Example Sentences

His remarks set off alarm bells about America’s collapsing democracy.

From Salon

And, despite the partisan Supreme Court, the reason that we are still holding on to democracy is because the system still works, albeit like a ’78 Chevy with the doors rusting off.

From Los Angeles Times

Lula described the meeting as an opportunity to "restore" friendly relations between "the two largest Western democracies" and reiterated that the US had a trade surplus with Brazil.

From BBC

“Somebody, sometime, has got to take a stand and say democracy cannot survive, much less thrive with the level of big corporate and big government interference and intimidation in news.”

From Salon

That evening, I wrote an essay about what the crisis and shattering of norms would mean for America’s ailing democracy.

From Salon

Related Words

• equality 
• freedom 
• justice 

When To Use

What is democracy?

Democracy is a system of government where the citizens of a state exercise power to rule the state, either directly or through electing representatives.