-cracy
Words nearby -cracy
WORDS THAT USE -CRACY
What does -cracy mean?
The combining form -cracy is used like a suffix meaning “rule” or “government.” It is often used in technical terms, especially in sociology.
The form -cracy comes from Greek krátos, meaning “rule” and “strength.”
What are variants of -cracy?
While -cracy doesn’t have any variants, it is related to the form -crat, as in plutocrat. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use -crat article.
Examples of -cracy
An example of a familiar word that features -cracy is democracy, “government by the people.” Democracy comes from Greek dēmokratía, which uses the equivalent form of -cracy.
The demo- part of the word means “people,” from Greek dêmos, while the form -cracy means “government.” Democracy literally translates to “people’s government.”
What are some words that use the combining form -cracy?
- aristocracy (using the equivalent form of -cracy in Greek)
- bureaucracy
- gerontocracy
- kakistocracy
- meritocracy
- plutocracy (using the equivalent form of -cracy in Greek)
- technocracy
- theocracy
What are some other forms that -cracy may be commonly confused with?