theocracy

American  

[thee-ok-ruh-see] / θiˈɒk rə si /

noun

plural

theocracies

1. a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, the God's or deity's laws being interpreted by the ecclesiastical authorities.

2. a system of government by priests claiming a divine commission.

3. a commonwealth or state under such a form or system of government.

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theocracy British  

/ θɪˈɒkrəsɪ /

noun

1. government by a deity or by a priesthood

2. a community or political unit under such government

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theocracy Cultural  

1. A nation or state in which the clergy exercise political power and in which religious law is dominant over civil law. Iran led by the Ayatollah Khomeini was a theocracy under the Islamic clergy. (See Islam.)

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Other Word Forms

• theocrat
  noun
• theocratic
  adjective
• theocratical
  adjective
• theocratically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of theocracy

From the Greek word theokratía, dating back to 1615–25; see theo-, -cracy

Explanation

When religious doctrine is the law of the land, most likely you're living in a theocracy. There's not a lot of room for dissent in theocracies, where religious leaders are in charge and say they are speaking for God. Notice the similarities between theocracy and democracy? In Greek, theo- means "God" and -kratia "power or rule." A democracy is ruled by dēmos, "the people." An autocracy is one ruled by a single person with absolute power, like a king (or your mom). In theocracies, God rules.

Example Sentences

Theocracy: A system of government in which political leaders are also clerical leaders of an official organized religion, or are backed and validated by said religion and its leaders.

From Salon • May 26, 2024

Later she provided a definition from Frederick Clarkson, author of the 1997 book, "Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy":

From Salon • Oct. 31, 2021

Several hundred years later, Israel became a Theocracy and, later still, a kingdom under Saul of the Benjamin Tribe, annointed by Samuel "the last Judge in Israel."

From Time Magazine Archive

Let the Pope be congratulated for his tenacious keeping of the idea of Theocracy.

From The Agony of the Church (1917) by Velimirović, Nikolai

I was in the centre of a vast Theocracy.

From The Gates Between by Phelps, Elizabeth Stuart