democratic

adjective

dem·​o·​crat·​ic ˌde-mə-ˈkra-tik 

1

: of, relating to, or favoring democracy (see democracy sense 1)

democratic elections

a democratic government

2

often capitalized : of or relating to one of the two major political parties in the U.S. evolving in the early 19th century from the anti-federalists and the Democratic-Republican party and associated in modern times with policies of broad social reform and internationalism

the Democratic candidate for governor

3

: relating to, appealing to, or available to the broad masses of the people

democratic art

democratic education

4

: favoring social equality : not snobbish

disagrees with her very democratic husband

democratically

ˌde-mə-ˈkra-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• popular
• republican
• self-governing
• self-ruling

Examples of democratic in a Sentence

Democratic elections were held there today for the first time.

the country's new democratic constitution

Debates are an important part of the democratic process.

The Democratic candidate for governor won the debate.

Most of these policies appeal to Democratic voters.

an interview with a leader of the Democratic Party

The organization works to promote democratic reforms around the world.

Recent Examples on the Web

Unlike in Ukraine, which has had five presidents elected during Putin’s time in power, the Russian election offers no democratic choice. —Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 17 Mar. 2024

Meindl would also instate participatory budgeting, a democratic process in which community members decide how to spend part of a public budget, as much as state statute allows. —Bridget Fogarty, Journal Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2024

The right to criticize Israel for its actions is democratic, and not an antisemitic act. —Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024

But fear not, these comparatively slow vote counts are a feature of a working democratic system, not a bug. —Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024

All participating in a multi-cultural, democratic world. —Mike Freeman, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024

Only those who agree with democratic policies and poorly represent conservative values. —Charlotte Observer, 22 Feb. 2024

But Beijing has over the past three years moved swiftly to remake the territory’s once-autonomous institutions and subsume Hong Kong’s identity, using a draconian security law to neutralize the city’s boisterous politics and crush mass protests over the loss of democratic rights. —Theodora Yu, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2024

Such exports would also carry an unmistakable symbolism: The country that, as a Soviet republic, once made weapons for Moscow would instead become the supplier of the democratic West. —Daniel Block, The Atlantic, 19 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Medieval Latin; Middle French democratique, borrowed from Medieval Latin dēmocraticus, borrowed from Greek dēmokratikós, from dēmokratía democracy + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing democratic

• democratic centralism
• democratic socialism

Kids Definition

democratic

adjective

dem·​o·​crat·​ic ˌdem-ə-ˈkrat-ik 

1

: of, relating to, or favoring political, social, or economic democracy

2

capitalized : of or relating to a major U.S. political party associated with policies of helping the common people and encouraging cooperation between nations

3

: of, relating to, or appealing to the common people

democratic art

4

: favoring social equality : not snobbish

democratically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb