Word definition: democratic

Etimology


From Middle French democratique (“pertaining to democracy, democratic”) (modern French démocratique), and its etymon Late Latin democraticus (“pertaining to democracy, democratic; democrat”), from Ancient Greek δημοκρᾰτῐκός (dēmokratikós, “of or for democracy; favouring or suited for democracy”), from δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (dēmokratíā, “democracy”) + -ῐκός (-ikós, suffix with the sense ‘of or pertaining’ to forming adjectives). Δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (Dēmokratíā) is derived from δῆμος (dêmos, “the common people; free citizens, sovereign people; popular assembly; popular government, democracy”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂- (“to divide; to share”)) + -κρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (-kratíā, suffix meaning ‘government; rule’) (from κρᾰ́τος (krátos, “might, strength; dominion, power”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kret- (“insight, intelligence; strength”)) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-íā, suffix forming feminine abstract nouns)).

adjective


democratic (comparative more democratic, superlative most democratic)

Pertaining to democracy; constructed upon or in line with the principle of government chosen by the people.

Exhibiting social equality; egalitarian.

(US, politics) Alternative letter-case form of Democratic (“of, pertaining to, or supporting the Democratic Party”)

Examples


Synonym: democratical

Antonyms: nondemocratic, undemocratic

The United States is a democratic country, as the citizens are allowed to choose leaders to represent their interests.

[S]ome firie ſpirited men in the Miniſterie, got ſuch a guiding of the people at that time of confuſion, as finding the guſte of gouernment ſweete, they begouth to fantaſie to themſelues, a Democratick forme of gouernment: […] and after vſurping the libertie of the time in my long minoritie, ſetled themſelues ſo faſt vpon that imagined Democracie, as they fed themſelues with the hope to become Trbuni plebis: and ſo in a populare gouernment by leading the people by the noſe, to beare the ſway of all the rule.

[W]hich government in its due conſtitution no Chriſtian or reformed Church, yea no one eminent reformed Divine but did highly approve and deſire the happineſs to enjoy, as hath been made evident by their writings.

Others avouch plainly the Democratick Principles, That Government riſes from the People's Conſent, and is radically founded in them; […]

There, fann’d by me, lewd Faction’s quick’ning flame / Inſpires my duteous Children to defame / Thoſe Laws of Freedom which ſo long have ſtood, / Fix’d in the cement of Britannia’s blood. / There, my ſubverting Delegates diſplay / The madding pride of Democratic ſway.

The other point of difference is, the greater number of citizens and extent of territory which may be brought within the compaſs of republican, than of democratic government; and it is this circumſtance principally which renders factious combinations leſs to be dreaded in the former, than in the latter.

The democratick commonwealth is the foodfull nurſe of ambition. […] Whenever, in ſtates which have had a democratick baſis, they have endeavoured to put reſtraints upon ambition, their methods were as violent, as in the end they were ineffectual; as violent indeed as any the moſt jealous deſpotiſm could invent.

The division of the legislature into two branches and their diverse origin, the long duration of office in one branch, the distinct power of the executive, the independence and permanency of the judiciary are designed to balance and check the democratick tendencies of our polity.

Q. Who liberated Athens from the power of Sparta? / A. Thrasy[b]ulus, having expelled the usurpers, established the democratic government, B.C. 401.

In the United States, the federal and democratick parties divided the country till the termination of the last war.

In the conception of the Clinton administration and pro-democracy advocates, democracy and human rights are inextricably linked and mutually reinforcing. Human rights, defined in terms of the individual's political rights and civil liberties, are key ingredients of democracy. Without these rights, the integrity of participation and competition—vital aspects of the democratic system—cannot be guaranteed. The protection of human rights "is the best safeguard against the abuse of national power," it is argued, and only democratic government can guarantee their protection.

The tradition that public policy would be democratic in its formulation was carried into the new democracy when the ANC [African National Congress] came to power in 1994.

Beyond and in dialogue with the political and the economic, this active engagement and creative expression of the people constitutes authentic democratic process.

Shepard: You have the right to your opinion, Mr. Saracino. But with all due respect, I disagree with it.Charles Saracino: I understand. I'm glad you support the democratic process, at least.

Both [Ze’ev] Jabotinsky and [David] Ben-Gurion also wrote songs of praise to the Ottoman Empire, its tolerance toward ethnic minorities in general—and to Jews in particular—as well as to the democratic changes it was undergoing.

Antonyms: nondemocratic, undemocratic

"Oh, I hold with the framers of the Constitution, that all men are created free and equal; likewise, all boys and girls," said democratic Kitty; […]

Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers, […] Even such a boat as the Mount Vernon offered a total deck space so cramped as to leave secrecy or privacy well out of the question, even had the motley and democratic assemblage of passengers been disposed to accord either.

Mount Vernon is run by a strong democratic party organization.

Related words


related terms

democracy

democrat

democratisation, democratization

democratise, democratize

democratised, democratized (adjective)

democratising, democratizing (adjective, noun)

democratism

noun


democratic (plural democratics)

(chiefly in the plural, dated) Synonym of democrat (“a supporter of democracy; an advocate of democratic politics (originally (historical) as opposed to the aristocrats in Revolutionary France)”)

Examples


Synonyms: democratical, democratist

This kingly government is a thing that our democraticks cannot brook: we are an undone people if we do not down with that.

[…] [Thomas] Fairfax was made general of all the forces both in England and Ireland; and Rainsbrough [i.e., Thomas Rainsborough], a leveller, and a violent head of the democraticks, high-admiral.

Several circumſtances have concurred to confirm the belief that this wretched lunatick was the identical Marquis de Brunoy, who had been buried in the gloom of a priſon for nine years, whilſt the world thought him dead. The mad democraticks began to ſpread reports that the Count de Provence was privy to this tranſaction; and that it was this Prince who had obtained the Lettre de Cachet, by virtue of which this wretched man had been ſo long deprived of the light of heaven.

For that equality among the multitude which democratics explore, is not only just among those of a similar rank but is advantageous.

He [Lysander] now destroyed the democratics and popular constitutions in all the Greek cities which had been subject to Athens, placing a Lacedæmonian in each as harmost or governor, with a council of ten archons under him, composed of men selected from the political clubs which he had established.

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