monocracy

noun

mo·​noc·​ra·​cy mä-ˈnä-krə-sē How to pronounce monocracy (audio)
mə-
: government by a single person
monocrat noun
monocratic adjective

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In society's search for the best kind of government, the suffix -cracy (which means "form of government" and traces to the Greek kratos, meaning "strength" or "power") has worn many hats. "Monocracy" pairs "-cracy" with a descendant of monos, meaning "alone" or "single." The suffix also underlies other governmental terms including "democracy" ("government by the people"), "aristocracy" ("government by a small privileged class"), "theocracy" ("government by divine guidance"), "ochlocracy" ("government by the mob"), and "gerontocracy" ("rule by elders").

Examples of monocracy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Biden administration justified its decision — or no decision — with the tired old rationalizations and justifications that the U.S. has been using for years to give the medieval monocracy a pass on human rights violations. Ahmed Tharwat, Star Tribune, 1 Mar. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'monocracy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of monocracy was in 1606

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Dictionary Entries Near monocracy

Cite this Entry

“Monocracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monocracy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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