Democracy Meaning
/dɪˈmɒk.ɹə.si/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounRule by the people, especially as a form of government; either directly or through elected representatives (representative democracy).
nounA government under the direct or representative rule of the people of its jurisdiction.
Sentence Examples
Democracy is the worst form of government, except all the others that have been tried.
We stand for democracy.
Democracy will be victorious in the long run.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
In a ____, citizens vote to elect their own government leaders.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
____ is the worst form of government, except all the others that have been tried.
Word Origin & History
From Middle French democratie (French démocratie), from Medieval Latin dēmocratia, from Ancient Greek δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (dēmokrătĭ́ā). By surface analysis, demo- (“people”) + -cracy (“rule”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
In a ____, citizens vote to elect their own government leaders.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
____ is the worst form of government, except all the others that have been tried.