republic

American  

[ri-puhb-lik] / rɪˈpʌb lɪk /

noun

1. a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them.

2. any body of persons viewed as a commonwealth.

3. a state in which the head of government is not a monarch or other hereditary head of state.

4. (initial capital letter) any of the five periods of republican government in France.

5. (initial capital letter, italics) a philosophical dialogue (4th century b.c.) by Plato dealing with the composition and structure of the ideal state.

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republic British  

/ rɪˈpʌblɪk /

noun

1. a form of government in which the people or their elected representatives possess the supreme power

2. a political or national unit possessing such a form of government

3. a constitutional form in which the head of state is an elected or nominated president

4. any community or group that resembles a political republic in that its members or elements exhibit a general equality, shared interests, etc

   the republic of letters

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republic Cultural  

1. A form of government in which power is explicitly vested in the people, who in turn exercise their power through elected representatives. Today, the terms republic and democracy are virtually interchangeable, but historically the two differed. Democracy implied direct rule by the people, all of whom were equal, whereas republic implied a system of government in which the will of the people was mediated by representatives, who might be wiser and better educated than the average person. In the early American republic, for example, the requirement that voters own property and the establishment of institutions such as the Electoral College were intended to cushion the government from the direct expression of the popular will.

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Other Word Forms

• semirepublic noun

Etymology

Origin of republic

First recorded in 1595–1605; from French république, Middle French, from Latin rēs pūblica, equivalent to rēs “thing, entity” ( rebus ( def. ) ) + pūblica public

Example Sentences

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the Islamic republic had the "necessary will" to end the war, provided its enemies guaranteed it would not flare up again.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

With the new required disclosures, investors are getting a peek into corporate operations in places where companies don’t have significant employment, sales or production—including the tiny island republic of Malta.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

It served as a military training compound used by the US and Nato, but the facility was later abandoned by the Americans and converted by the Afghan republic government around 2016 into a rehabilitation centre.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

His killing, if confirmed, would be a major blow against the Islamic republic, undermining a key figure seen as capable of navigating both ideology and diplomacy.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

The pro-republic sentiment won with 52 percent of the vote, and the proclamation of the republic was set for May 31,1961.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela