republican
adjective
of, relating to, or of the nature of a republic.
Jump To:
-
republican
-
Republican
Republicanadjectiveof, belonging to, or relating to a Republican Party
republican
American
[ri-puhb-li-kuhn]
/ rɪˈpʌb lɪ kən /
adjective
-
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.
noun
-
republicans
plural
-
a person who favors a republican form of government.
-
(initial capital letter) a member of the Republican Party.
republican
1
British
/ rɪˈpʌblɪkən /
adjective
-
of, resembling, or relating to a republic
-
supporting or advocating a republic
noun
Republican
2
British
/ rɪˈpʌblɪkən /
adjective
-
of, belonging to, or relating to a Republican Party
-
of, belonging to, or relating to the Irish Republican Army
noun
-
a member or supporter of a Republican Party
-
a member or supporter of the Irish Republican Army
Republican
Cultural
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
antirepublicanadjective
-
half-republicanadjective
-
nonrepublicanadjective
-
prerepublicanadjective
-
prorepublicanadjective
-
pseudorepublicanadjective
-
semirepublicanadjective
-
unrepublicanadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of republican
First recorded in 1685–95, republican is from the French word républicain, Middle French. See republic, -an
Explanation
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.
Vocabulary lists containing republican
Lincoln Inaugural Address (March 1861)
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!
"What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Vocabulary from the speech
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!
Chapter 3, Sections 1–2
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!
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.
See Examples For:
"I restate the Eiffel Tower's commitment to republican values and to the equality of men and women."
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
"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
The vehicle was stopped during an operation targeting dissident republican activities on Wednesday but further details are just emerging.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Independence required Americans to believe in the risky project of devising a new, republican constitution.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
But even that landmark precedent, so crucial in establishing the republican principle of rotation in office, paled in comparison to an even more elemental political and psychological realization.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Leading the Future has raised more than $75 million, and its Democratic and Republican affiliates have spent a total of about $34 million, according to data as of Thursday from the Tech Oversight Project.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers calls for a halt to the trade war with Canada.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Vance -- who is widely considered to be the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028 -- was named by Trump to head an anti-fraud task force earlier this year.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
Columnist Gustavo Arellano and his father met with Steve Hilton, a Republican running for California governor, at King Taco.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
He also denied any association with Guiteau other than seeing him on many occasions at New York City's Republican headquarters and a few times on Washington's streets.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
When asked about the potential of dissident republicans being involved in the attack, O'Dowd, who represents Upper Bann, said he did not see support for the groups.
From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2026
That leaves many Irish republicans in an unexpected position.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 13, 2026
Even though the British side believed Mr Storey masterminded the operation, influential Irish Americans were less willing to accept that republicans were behind it.
From BBC ● Dec. 26, 2025
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
The monarchs of Europe, invoked and backed by the jealous Italian States, conspired together against Venice, and were driven off by the amphibious and brave republicans.
From Rule of the Monk or, Rome in the Nineteenth Century by Giuseppe Garibaldi
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.
