democratic

Definition

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

Etymology

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 (dēmokrătĭkós, “of or for democracy; favouring or suited for democracy”), from δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (dēmokrătĭ́ā, “democracy”) + -ῐκός (-ĭkós, suffix with the sense ‘of or pertaining’ to forming adjectives). Δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (Dēmokrătĭ́ā) 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 (-krătĭ́ā, suffix meaning ‘government; rule’) (from κρᾰ́τος (krắtos, “might, strength; dominion, power”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kret- (“insight, intelligence; strength”)) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, suffix forming feminine abstract nouns)). By surface analysis, demo- + -cratic or democrat + -ic.

Example Sentences

• "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, (not wholly under a democratick or popular ſpirit) yea no one eminent reformed Divine but did highly approve and deſire the happineſs to enjoy, as hath been made evident by their writings."

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