Definitions for democracy
dɪˈmɒk rə sidemoc·ra·cy

Princeton's WordNet(4.35 / 38 votes)Rate this definition:

1. democracy(noun)

   the political orientation of those who favor government by the people or by their elected representatives

2. democracy, republic, commonwealth(noun)

   a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them

3. majority rule, democracy(noun)

   the doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding on the whole group

Wiktionary(3.50 / 10 votes)Rate this definition:

1. democracy(Noun)

   Rule by the people, especially as a form of government; either directly or through elected representatives (representative democracy).

   Etymology: from democratie (French démocratie), from democratia, from δημοκρατία, from δῆμος + κράτος.

2. democracy(Noun)

   A government under the direct or representative rule of the people of its jurisdiction.

   Etymology: from democratie (French démocratie), from democratia, from δημοκρατία, from δῆμος + κράτος.

3. democracy(Noun)

   Belief in political freedom and equality; the "spirit of democracy".

   Etymology: from democratie (French démocratie), from democratia, from δημοκρατία, from δῆμος + κράτος.

Webster Dictionary(3.33 / 9 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Democracy(noun)

   government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is retained and directly exercised by the people

   Etymology: [F. dmocratie, fr. Gr. dhmokrati`a; dh^mos the people + kratei^n to be strong, to rule, kra`tos strength.]

2. Democracy(noun)

   government by popular representation; a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but is indirectly exercised through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed; a constitutional representative government; a republic

   Etymology: [F. dmocratie, fr. Gr. dhmokrati`a; dh^mos the people + kratei^n to be strong, to rule, kra`tos strength.]

3. Democracy(noun)

   collectively, the people, regarded as the source of government

   Etymology: [F. dmocratie, fr. Gr. dhmokrati`a; dh^mos the people + kratei^n to be strong, to rule, kra`tos strength.]

4. Democracy(noun)

   the principles and policy of the Democratic party, so called

   Etymology: [F. dmocratie, fr. Gr. dhmokrati`a; dh^mos the people + kratei^n to be strong, to rule, kra`tos strength.]

Freebase(3.67 / 9 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Democracy

   Democracy is a form of government in which all eligible citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Democracy allows eligible citizens to participate equally—either directly or through elected representatives—in the proposal, development, and creation of laws. It encompasses social, economic and cultural conditions that enable the free and equal practice of political self-determination. The term originates from the Greek δημοκρατία "rule of the people", which was coined from δῆμος "people" and κράτος "power" or "rule" in the 5th century BCE to denote the political systems then existing in Greek city-states, notably Athens; the term is an antonym to ἀριστοκρατία "rule of an elite". While theoretically these definitions are in opposition, in practice the distinction has been blurred historically. The political system of Classical Athens, for example, granted democratic citizenship to an elite class of free men and excluded slaves and women from political participation. In virtually all democratic governments throughout ancient and modern history, democratic citizenship consisted of an elite class until full enfranchisement was won for all adult citizens in most modern democracies through the suffrage movements of the 19th and 20th centuries. The English word dates to the 16th century, from the older Middle French and Middle Latin equivalents.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Democracy

   de-mok′ra-si, n. a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people collectively, and is administered by them or by officers appointed by them: the people, esp. the common people in the United States, the democratic party—also Democ′raty (Milt.).—n. Dem′ocrat, one who adheres to or promotes democracy as a principle: a member of the democratic party in the United States, who preserve carefully the local liberties of states and of individuals, opposing national centralisation, and supporting a wide franchise, low tariff duties for the interests of the revenue rather than protection, and a limited public expenditure.—adjs. Democrat′ic, -al, relating to democracy: insisting on equal rights and privileges for all.—adv. Democrat′ically.—adj. Democratifī′able, capable of being made democratic.—v.t. Democratise′, to render democratic.—n. Democ′ratist, a democrat. [O. Fr.,—Gr. dēmokratia—dēmos, the people, and kratein, to rule—kratos, strength.]

The Nuttall Encyclopedia(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Democracy

   has been defined to be government of the people by the people and for the people, or as a State in which the government rests directly with the majority of the citizens, but this under the protest of some that it is not an end but a means "to the attainment of a truer and truer aristocracy, or government again by the Best."

The Roycroft Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. democracy

   1. A form of government by popular ignorance. 2. The dwarf's paradise. 3. Any political system where male votes are substitutes for brains. (This word comes from the Abracadabra: "demo," lungs; "crazy," to rule; hence, to rule by caloric.)

U.S. National Library of Medicine(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Democracy

   A system of government in which there is free and equal participation by the people in the political decision-making process.

The Foolish Dictionary, by Gideon Wurdz(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. DEMOCRACY

   A mysterious country, bounded on the east by Richard Olney, on the west by Willie Bryan, on the north by Dave Hill and on the south by Bennie Pitchfork Tillman.

Editors Contribution(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. democracy

   A form of unity government by the people for the people with a fair and just form of proportional representation voting system that ensures, reflects and represents the collective and inclusive choice of the eligible electorate, citizens and people of the country and the specific areas of official political authority, that empowers the choice of the eligible electorate, citizens and people and provides the accurate processes, procedures, structures, systems and technology to ensure the eligible electorate, citizens and people of the country are empowered directly on the proposed, development and creation of a constitution, policies, procedures, structures, systems, law and legislation to ensure the collective and inclusive choices, opinion and voices of the eligible electorate, citizens and people of the country are heard using accurate, truthful and quantifiable data, information, facts, research and statistics. The people choose to focus on creating optimum health, human rights, right to life, shared prosperity for all, stability, unity government, solidarity, cohesion, human rights, animal rights, right to life, right to housing, right to education, right to parent, right to childcare, right to a standard of living, right to internet access, economic stability, financial stability, civil rights, equal rights, equal opportunities, employment rights, childrens rights, sustainable development, sustainable development goals, united partnership, multi-party working, community empowerment systems, equal distribution of income, wealth, fairness and justness across society, the country, europe and the world and contribute to the cocreation of global and national peace agreements, peace treaties, the universes truth and a fair, just and transparent system of checks and balances.

   Democracy is a tool to create sustainable peace with ALL nations on planet Earth and to ensure the citizens, people and the eligible electorate are involved in the proposed, development and creation of laws and legislation to ensure a fair, just, equal and inclusive society that works for the optimum health, human rights and shared prosperity of ALL.

   Submitted by MaryC on July 1, 2016  

Etymology and Origins(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Democracy

   From the Greek demos, people, and kratein, to rule. Government by the people.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'democracy' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2466

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'democracy' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2661

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'democracy' in Nouns Frequency: #999

How to pronounce democracy?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say democracy in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of democracy in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of democracy in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of democracy in a Sentence

1. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

   The East knew and to the present day knows only that One is Free; the Greek and the Roman world, that some are free; the German World knows that All are free. The first political form therefore which we observe in History, is Despotism, the second Democracy and Aristocracy, the third, Monarchy.

2. Matt Cagle:

   With this vote, San Francisco has declared that face surveillance technology is incompatible with a healthy democracy and that residents deserve a voice in decisions about high-tech surveillance, we applaud the city for listening to the community, and leading the way forward with this crucial legislation.

3. Louis D. Brandeis:

   We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both.

4. Alexandra Rojas:

   I think( Trump's effort) backfired and united anti-fascist, socialists( and others) to do everything we could to elect Joe Biden, because it's not about an individual, this is about, as Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez says, letting democracy live another day.

5. Bill McRaven:

   I stand by my comment that the President's attack on the media is the greatest threat to our democracy in my lifetime, when you undermine the people's right to a free press and freedom of speech and expression, then you threaten the Constitution and all for which it stands.

Images & Illustrations of democracy

Popularity rank by frequency of use