democracy

CEFRB1

/dɪˈmɒk.ɹə.si/

noun

Türkçe translations

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In plain English

01
noun
A system of government in which people choose their leaders.
02
noun
Extra detail
A government under the direct or representative rule of the people of its jurisdiction.

Examples

Democracy is the worst form of government, except all the others that have been tried.
Democracy will be victorious in the long run.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses: 5
Parts of speech: 1
Citations: 5
Synonyms: 1

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

A state with a democratic system of government.
Rule by the people, especially as a form of government; either directly or through elected representatives (representative democracy).
Belief in political freedom and equality; the "spirit of democracy".

More examples

In context

We stand for democracy.
Some countries which were originally monarchies, like the UK, have maintained their status as monarchies whilst also becoming democracies in the modern era; others, like France, completely disposed of their monarchies when they became democracies.
The period, that is, which marks the transition from absolutism or aristocracy to democracy will mark also the transition from absolutist or autocratic methods of nomination to democratic methods.

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

In a blank, citizens vote to elect their own government leaders.

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Nearby

Citations

The word in print, with each source given in full.

And the essential value and power of Democracy consists in this,—that it combines, as far as possible, power and organization ; THE SPIRIT, MANHOOD, is at one with THE BODY, ORGANIZATION. [....] Democracy is Government by the People.
1866, J. Arthur Partridge, On Democracy, Trübner & Co., page 2
The period, that is, which marks the transition from absolutism or aristocracy to democracy will mark also the transition from absolutist or autocratic methods of nomination to democratic methods.
1901, The American Historical Review, American Historical Association, page 260
A century ago there was in the Old World only one tiny spot in which the working of democracy could be studied. A few of the ancient rural cantons of Switzerland had recovered their freedom after the fall of Napoleon, and were governing themselves as they had done from the earlier Middle Ages[...]. Nowhere else in Europe did the people rule.
1921, James Bryce Bryce, Modern Democracies, The Macmillan Company, page 1
Everyone who wanted to speak did so. It was democracy in its purest form.
1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela, London: Abacus, published 2010, page 24
On this day in 1977, Taiwan witnessed a watershed moment in its march to democracy: the Chungli Incident. Violence broke out on the night of the largest-yet elections in the country’s history. Some 10,000 people took to the streets in protest following reports of election fraud on the part of the ruling Kuomintang.
2017 November 19, “Today in History”, in Radio Taiwan International, archived from the original on 10 Sep 2022

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Origin

noun

From Middle French democratie (French démocratie), from Medieval Latin dēmocratia, from Ancient Greek δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (dēmokrătĭ́ā). By surface analysis, demo- (“people”) + -cracy (“rule”).

Deep Dive

noun

More examples

Related

Quick test

In a blank—, citizens vote to elect their own government leaders.

Nearby

Origin

noun

In a blank, citizens vote to elect their own government leaders.