republicanism
Americannoun
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republican government.
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republican principles or adherence to them.
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(initial capital letter) the principles or policy of the Republican Party.
noun
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the principles or theory of republican government
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support for a republic
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(often capital) support for a Republican Party or for the Irish Republican Army
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of republicanism
First recorded in 1680–90; republican + -ism
Explanation
Republicanism is the political belief that the best form of government is one in which citizens choose their representatives and leaders through free elections. In the U.S., the Founding Fathers were proponents of republicanism. In the United States, republicanism is occasionally used to mean "ideas or policies of the Republican party," but the definition of the word is general more broad. The principles of republicanism can be held by members of any political party: as long as you support the concept of representative government by citizens who actively participate in it, you're a fan of republicanism. The word comes from republic and its Latin root, respublica which means "commonwealth or public interest."
Vocabulary lists containing republicanism
STAAR U.S. History 1
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Government and Citizenship (Grade 8)
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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.
Hundreds of activists, operatives and rank-and-file conservatives attended and tested their theories of Republicanism after Trump.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 23, 2023
In his time, he represented a progressive Republicanism that challenged his more conservative successor, President William Howard Taft, at the 1912 GOP convention.
From Slate • Jul. 3, 2023
The exception was Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor clinging to the margins of the race as a bastion of old-guard Republicanism.
From New York Times • Jun. 9, 2023
Oregon has a long history of moderate Republicanism, a hand-me-down from those New England settlers who brought place names like Salem and Portland.
From Los Angeles Times • May 3, 2023
The common soldiers and the great mass of the people were advocates of Republicanism.
From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 15, August, 1851 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.
