Etymologically
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demagogue

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈdɛməɡɒɡ/ (UK); /ˈdɛməɡɑɡ/, /ˈdɛməɡɔɡ/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek δημαγωγός (dēmagōgós, “leader of the people, popular leader”),[2][3][4][5][6] from Ancient Greek δῆμος (dêmos, “people”) + ἀγωγός (agōgós, “leading, leader”),[2][3][4][5] the latter from ágein “to lead”,[2][3][4][5] from Proto-Indo-European *ag- (“to drive, lead”).[5][2] Its form may have been influenced by French démagogue.[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

In a bad sense, a leader of a popular faction or of the mob; an agitator who appeals to the passions and prejudices of the people (1648).[7][3][4][5] Barnhart notes that the earliest English sense was pejorative.[4]

Semantic evolution

The historical sense, a popular leader of the people in an ancient state, is recorded slightly later (1651).[7][5] The Greek word was already often disparaging in 5th-century Athens,[5] so the English word has nearly always meant a political panderer, a near reversal of the literal “leader of the people”.[5] The verb, “to play the demagogue”, dates from 1656.[7][3][5]

Timeline

  • 1648 – a mob leader who appeals to popular prejudice.[7][3][4]
  • 1651 – in ancient times, a leader of the people.[7][5]
  • 1656 – verb, to play the demagogue.[7][3]
  • 1831 – demagogic.[4]
  • 1855 – (US) demagoguery.[4]
  • 1890 – verb, to treat a matter like a demagogue.[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A leader who gains power by appealing to the emotions and prejudices of the people, often with false claims and promises.
  2. In ancient times, a leader championing the cause of the common people.

Verb

  1. To speak or act like a demagogue.
  2. To treat an issue in a demagogic way, distorting it with emotion and prejudice.

Word family

  • demagoguery
  • demagogy
  • demagogic
  • demagogism

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press