-cracy

-cracy

The English suffix "-cracy" means a form of government or a state having such government. It is derived from the ancient Greek "kratein", meaning "to rule". Typically, the suffix is encountered in distinguishing between the following different forms of government:
*adhocracy — decentralized rule.
*aristocracy — literally rule by the best; in modern usage, rule by the upper class/by those with a birth-right to rule.
*autocracy — (ultimate, despotic) rule by a single individual - literally self-rule, rule by oneself. The distinction between a monarchy and an autocracy is that the latter is one in which power overshadows bloodline or a divine right to rule. Note: Many dictatorships are autocracies, but it is not true to say that a dictatorship is automatically an autocracy.
*democracy — literally rule by the people; usually rule by elected/nominated representatives of the people.
*ecclesiocracy — rule in the name of God.
*geniocracy — rule by geniuses.
*hierocracy — rule by priests or religious ministers.
*krytocracy — rule by the judiciary (compare with kritarchy).
*meritocracy — rule upon the basis of ability (merit).
*ochlocracy — mob rule
*plutocracy — rule by the affluent class.
*theocracy — rule by God.

Other words with this suffix include:
*bureaucracy
*corporatocracy
*gerontocracy
*hierocracy
*kleptocracy
*mobocracy
*ochlocracy
*oligocracy
*particracy
*pornocracy
*technocracy
*thalassocracy
*timocracy
*xerocracy

See also

* List of forms of government


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • -cracy — comb. element forming nouns meaning rule or government by, from Fr. cratie or M.L. cratia, from Gk. kratia power, might; rule, sway; power over; a power, authority, from kratos strength, from PIE *kratus power, strength (see HARD (Cf. hard)). The …   Etymology dictionary

  • -cracy — ► COMBINING FORM ▪ denoting a particular form of government or rule: democracy. ORIGIN from Greek kratia power, rule …   English terms dictionary

  • -cracy — [krə sē] [Fr cracie < ML cratia < Gr kratia, rule < kratos, rule, strength: see HARD] combining form a (specified) type of government; rule by [autocracy, theocracy] …   English World dictionary

  • -cracy — noun combining form Etymology: Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French cratie, from Late Latin cratia, from Greek kratia, from kratos strength, power more at hard 1. form of government; also state having such a form < monocracy > 2. social or …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • -cracy — a combining form occurring in loanwords from Greek (aristocracy; democracy); on this model used, with the meaning rule, government, governing body, to form abstract nouns from stems of other origin: mobocracy; bureaucracy. Cf. crat. [ < MF cracie …   Universalium

  • -cracy — combining form denoting a particular form of government or rule: democracy. Origin from Fr. cratie, via med. L. from Gk kratia power, rule …   English new terms dictionary

  • -cracy — (G). Rule; strength …   Dictionary of word roots and combining forms

  • -cracy — suffix (in nouns) another form of the suffix ocracy: bureaucracy (=government by officials who are not elected) …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • -cracy — cra·cy …   English syllables

  • -cracy — aff. a combining form meaning “rule,”“government” by the agent specified by the initial element: democracy; theocracy Compare crat • Etymology: < MF cracie (now cratie) < LL cratia < Gk kratia=krát(os) rule, strength, might + ia y III …   From formal English to slang

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