- Kevin
- September 29, 2023
- Common Questions
Since Americans hold the ultimate political power in the United States, the Land of the Free is a democracy. The U.S. is also a republic, however, because the elected representatives exercise political power.
Wondering what the word republic (rəˈpʌb.lɪk, rɪpʌblɪk) means and how it differs from democracy? We can help. Read on as we explore this interesting term to uncover its definition, origin, and more.
What Is the Definition of Republic?
According to Dictionary.com, our word of the day can be defined as a country without a king or queen — usually governed by elected representatives of the citizen body.
In other words, it’s a form of government whose head of state isn’t a monarch but an elected or nominated president. Republics have been around as early as Ancient Rome — you know, before it plummeted to the ground. The United States of America is also a republic.
As per the Cambridge English Dictionary, republic is also used to reference any of the constituent political and territorial units within Yugoslavia, as well as the U.S.S.R.
As we have stated previously, a republic has a republican government, but this is not to be confused with the Republican political party, which will always have a capitalized “r.”
Additionally, you may see our word of the day used in the term “democratic republic,” which by definition is a type of government that utilizes not only democratic principles but republic principles as well.
Fun Fact: “Banana Republic” is not just the name of your grandfather’s favorite clothing store at the mall; it’s a term used to reference a smaller Caribbean island that is run by a dictator.
What Is the Origin of the Word Republic?
Republic comes from a few slightly varying sources; it is a derivative of both the French république and Middle French republique. Republic is also a derivative of Latin rēs pūblica or Latin respublica — which literally means public thing.
Though not recorded in English until 1595 to 1605, the term as defined today evolved from the constitution of the ancient Roman Republic, which later became the Roman Empire.
What Are Synonyms and Antonyms of Republic?
As most of us may remember from grade school, utilizing a thesaurus is an outstanding way to get to know a word inside and out. However, if you don’t regularly crack open our thesaurus, we’ve got you covered!
With a little help from the WordHippo online English language Thesaurus, here are antonyms and synonyms of republic listed for you to review:
Synonyms
- Representative Democracy
- Commonwealth
- Self-government
- Constitutional government
- Democratic state
- Self-rule
- Representative government
Antonyms
- Dictatorship
- Monarchy
- Tyranny
- Unfairness
- Inequality
- Despotism
How Can You Use Republic in a Sentence?
Now that you’re better acquainted with the word republic, it’s time to put your newfound knowledge to the test. Quiz yourself to see how many correct sentences you can come up with using our word of the day.
To get you going, check out our sentence examples listed for you below:
Wow, you missed an amazing lecture today! We learned so much about the United Communist Party of Nepal and how they fought a brutal civil war under the promise of a corruption-free federal republic.
Apparently, the system of government in the United States is a republic!
I am still at a loss for words after what the senator said at lunch today. Honestly, I never took him for a Galactic Republic fan — I have never been happier.
Did you know that the French Fourth Republic was the republican government of France that was governed by the fourth republican constitution?
Athenian Democracy in Greece is an early example of democracy as opposed to a republic.
Have you ever wondered why the Founders thought that a republican form of government was best?
Since the United States doesn’t have a king or queen and is governed by elected representatives, it’s considered a republic.
What Are Translations of Republic?
Wondering how to say republic in a different language? We’ve got you covered. Here are some common translations of the word republic:
- Dutch — republiek
- Japanese — 共和政体
- Korean — 공화국
- Norwegian — republikk
- Polish — republika
- European Portuguese — república
- Romanian — republică
- European Spanish — república
- Finnish — tasavalta
- French — république
- British English — republic
- German — Republik
- Russian — республика
- Spanish — república
- Swedish — republik
- Thai — สาธารณรัฐ
- Turkish — cumhuriyet
- Ukrainian — республіка
- Vietnamese — nền cộng hòa
- Greek — δημοκρατία
- American English — republic
- Arabic — جُمْهورِيَّة
- Brazilian Portuguese — república
- Chinese (simplified) — 共和国
- Croatian — republika
- Czech — republika
- Danish — republik
- Italian — repubblica
What Are Some Countries With a Republic Government?
A republic is a form of government where the people have supreme power and they exercise their power by voting and electing representatives to make decisions and govern. With this in mind, here are some countries with a federal republic government:
- Argentine Republic
- Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
- Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
- Federal Republic of Germany
- Federal Republic of Nigeria
- Federal Republic of Somalia
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Federative Republic of Brazil
- Republic of Austria
- Republic of India
- Republic of Iraq
- Republic of the Sudan
- Russian Federation
- Swiss Confederation
- Union of Comoros
- United Mexican States
- United States of America
Bottom Line
To recap, a republic is most commonly defined as a type of government in which the citizens have the supreme power — and they exercise that power through voting and electing representatives to govern.
In simpler terms, it’s a system of government that isn’t run by a King or a Queen but by elected officials, such as a president.
Sources:
Is the United States a democracy or a republic? | RepresentUs
REPUBLIC: definition | The Cambridge English Dictionary
What is another word for republic? : Synonyms | Word Hippo
Examples of a Republic: Types in Different Countries | Your Dictionary