democrat
noun
an advocate of democracy.
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democrat
1 American
[dem-uh-krat]
/ ˈdɛm əˌkræt /
noun
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an advocate of democracy.
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a person who believes in the political or social equality of all people.
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Politics. Democrat,
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a member of the Democratic Party.
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U.S. History. a member of the Democratic-Republican Party.
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Also called democrat wagon. a high, lightweight, horse-drawn wagon, usually having two seats.
Democrat
2
American
[dem-uhkrat]
/ ˈdɛmˌəkræt /
noun
Democrat
1
British
/ ˈdɛməˌkræt /
noun
democrat
2
British
/ ˈdɛməˌkræt /
noun
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an advocate of democracy; adherent of democratic principles
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a member or supporter of a democratic party or movement
Democrat
Cultural
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of democrat
First recorded in 1780–90; from French démocrate, back formation from démocratie democracy; see demo-, -crat
Explanation
A democrat is a person who believes in the rule of the people. If you think students should have a say in what courses they take in school, then it's very likely that you're a democrat. A democrat was a word that originally referred to a republican in the French Revolution, or someone who opposed the aristocracy. The prefix demo- means "common people." Democracy is a political system promoting the rule of the common people over the rich or elites. It presumes that every person should have a say in choosing who gets to represent him in government, and should be involved in promoting his own rights. A democrat is a person who believes in democracy.
Vocabulary lists containing democrat
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Critics call him extreme, though he recently told AFP he was a democrat who would "respect the constitution."
From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026
He could be pretty high-and-mighty, and certainly not exactly a small-d democrat.
From Slate • Feb. 16, 2026
Chancellor Scholz – a social democrat whose coalition government collapsed last year – castigated Merz for his actions.
From BBC • Jan. 29, 2025
Rutte‘s replacement after 13 years in office could be the country’s first female premier or a social democrat who left his job as the European Union‘s climate czar to return to national politics.
From Washington Times • Nov. 22, 2023
Sewell, the democrat, understood exactly what she meant, and knew that it was not the loneliness or physical discomfort the blockade entailed that she was thinking of.
From Delilah of the Snows by Bindloss, Harold
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.
