democrat

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdɛməkɹæt/; /ˈdɪməkɹæt/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French démocrate, formed from démocratie (“democracy”) (see democracy) on the model of aristocrate, aristocrat.^[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

An adherent of democracy, originally an opponent of the aristocrats in the French Revolution: 1790 in Etymonline and the OED,^[2][5] 1789 in MWU.^[3]

Semantic evolution

In the United States it was revived as a party name, with a capital D, in 1798,^[2][5] and a Democrat is now a member or supporter of the Democratic Party.^[6] The shortening Demo (1793) is older than Dem (about 1840).^[2] An earlier word for a supporter of democracy was democratian (1650s).^[2] In the US a democrat was also a light four-wheeled cart with seats one behind the other (1890).^[5]

Timeline

• 1650s – democratian.^[2]
• 1790 – an advocate of democracy.^[2][5]
• 1798 – a member of the US Democratic Party.^[2][5]
• 1890 – a democrat wagon.^[5]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A person who supports democracy or the principle of social equality.
2. Democrat: a member or supporter of the Democratic Party in the United States.

Word family

• antidemocrat
• social democrat

Related words

• democracy
• democratic
• aristocrat
• autocrat
• demagogue

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins