Etymologically
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democrat

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 10:59. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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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

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