What does democrat mean?
A democrat is someone who believes in or supports democracy — the principle that political power should rest with the people, whether exercised directly or through elected representatives. The word can describe anyone who champions democratic ideals such as free elections, majority rule, and protection of individual rights, and it carries a broadly positive connotation of civic commitment and openness. In American usage, capitalized "Democrat" has an additional, narrower meaning: a member or supporter of the Democratic Party, one of the two major US political parties. The word derives from the Greek dēmokratia, combining dēmos ("the people") with kratos ("power" or "rule"), and entered English in the late eighteenth century amid revolutionary debates about popular government. Related forms include democratic (adjective), democratically (adverb), and democratize (verb). Whether describing a philosophical stance or a partisan affiliation, the term remains central to political vocabulary worldwide.
nounAn advocate or supporter of democracy, or a member of the US Democratic Party.
- A person who supports democracy or democratic principles.
- (Capital D) A member or supporter of the Democratic Party in the United States.
"As a lifelong democrat, she believed every major decision should be put to a public vote."
"A committed democrat, he argued that power must always answer to the people."
"The Democrat won the Senate seat by a narrow margin."
Regular plural; used both generically and for members of the Democratic Party.
"Democrats and Republicans rarely agree on tax policy."
The word traces back to Greek demos ('the people') and kratos ('power') — literally 'power to the people', coined in ancient Athens over two thousand years ago.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of democrat
The word democrat comes from French démocrate, which itself derives from the Greek dēmos ("people") and kratos ("power" or "rule"). It entered English in the late eighteenth century during the era of the French and American revolutions, when debates about popular sovereignty made the term politically charged — at first sometimes used pejoratively by opponents of mob rule before gaining neutral and positive senses. It shares its root with democracy, democratic, and demography.
Related word forms
How democrat is actually used
Lowercase "democrat" refers generally to a supporter of democracy. Capitalized "Democrat" specifically denotes a member of the US Democratic Party; the lowercase form is broader and not tied to any single political system.
Easily confused with democrat
"Democrat" (capital D) is a member of the party, while "Democratic" is its adjective form, as in "Democratic candidate."