démocratique

Forms

démocratique (plural démocratiques)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek δημοκρατικός (dēmokratikós, “of democracy”), from δημοκρατία (dēmokratía, “democracy”), the source of démocratie.^[2][3][4][5] Wiktionary gives Late Latin democraticus as an intermediate, and notes that in French it can be analysed as from French démocratie + -ique.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Nicole Oresme uses it in his translation of Aristotle's Ethics (1370), of the political systems of Antiquity: les policies democratiques sont plus seures et plus durables que ne sont les olygarchiques “democratic governments are safer and more lasting than oligarchic ones”.^[2][4][3]

Semantic evolution

Like démocratie, the adjective was at first used only of Antiquity.^[3][5] In the 18th century the philosophers, Rousseau among them, applied it to their own time, and the Revolution spread that use.^[3][6] It then became a common political word, so widely claimed, even by parties far from democratic, that Rey calls it devalued.^[3] By extension it came to mean “open to all classes of society”, and more rarely “of the common people, not aristocratic”.^[2][6]

Timeline

• 1370 – Oresme uses it in his Ethics.^[2]
• 1568 – The adverb démocratiquement is recorded.^[3]
• 18th century – It is applied to modern politics.^[3][5]
• late 18th century – It comes to mean “in keeping with democracy”.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Democratic: of or belonging to democracy: un régime démocratique.^[6][2][1]
2. In keeping with democracy and the interests of the people, respectful of each person's will and freedom: une décision démocratique.^[6][7]
3. Open to every class of society.^[2]
4. (rare) Of the common people, not aristocratic.^[6]

Word family

• démocratiquement

Related words

• démocratie
• démocrate
• Ancient Greek δημοκρατικός (dēmokratikós)

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
5. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ a b c d e Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
7. ^ a b Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse