English
democracy
Democracy comes from Middle French democratie, from Ancient Greek δημοκρατία ‘popular government’, from δῆμος ‘the people’ + κράτος ‘rule’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδῆμος‘the common people; district’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδημοκρατίαdēmokrătĭ́ā‘democracy, popular government’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600democratie‘democracy’
- Englishearliest quotation 1866democracy
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδῆμος‘the common people; district’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδημοκρατίαdēmokrătĭ́ā‘democracy, popular government’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600democratie‘democracy’
- Englishearliest quotation 1866democracy
Earliest quotation: 1866, J. Arthur Partridge, On Democracy: “And the essential value and power of Democracy consists…”
Linked words
through Ancient Greek δῆμος ‘common people", "assembly of the people’
academic, pandemic, endemic, demos, demography, demiurge, demotic, 29 more
Today it means
noun Rule by the people, especially as a form of government, such as
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek δῆμος / democracy