Etymograph

English

epistocracy

Epistocracy comes from Ancient Greek ἐπιστήμη ‘knowledge’, from κράτος ‘power, rule’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kret- ‘strength’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kret-‘strength’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*krét-osreconstructed
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκράτοςkrátos‘power, rule’
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιστήμηepistḗmē‘knowledge’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 2016epistocracy

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kret-‘strength’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*krét-osreconstructed
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκράτοςkrátos‘power, rule’
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἐπιστήμηepistḗmē‘knowledge’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 2016epistocracy

Earliest quotation: 2016, Can Epistocracy, or knowledge-based voting, fix the problems: “So maybe it’s time to consider an alternative to…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *kret- ‘strength’

hard, rather, 44 more

through Proto-Indo-European *krét-os

bureaucratic, bureaucracy, bureaucrat, 33 more

through Ancient Greek κράτος ‘power, rule’

aristocracy, 6 more

through Ancient Greek ἐπιστήμη ‘knowledge’

epistemology, epistemic, 2 more

Today it means

noun A rule by citizens with political knowledge, or a proposed political system which concentrates political power in citizens according to their knowledge.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kret- / epistocracy

Shirt and support for this word