democratic
adj.adj. describing a system where everyone has a vote or an equal say in making decisions. It can refer to a whole country or just a small group where people share power.
adj. relating to or supporting a system of government or decision-making based on the principle of equal rights and representation for all members. Often used to describe processes that involve voting or collective consensus.
The club uses a democratic process to choose its new leader.
After years of military rule, the citizens were eager to participate in their first democratic election.
The transition to a fully democratic society requires not only free elections but also the establishment of independent institutions and a free press to hold leaders accountable.
From Middle French democratique (“pertaining to democracy, democratic”) (modern French démocratique), and its etymon Late Latin democraticus (“pertaining to democracy, democratic; democrat”), from Ancient Greek δημοκρᾰτῐκός (dēmokrătĭkós, “of or for democracy; favouring or suited for democracy”), from δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (dēmokrătĭ́ā, “democracy”) + -ῐκός (-ĭkós, suffix with the sense ‘of or pertaining’ to forming adjectives). Δημοκρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (Dēmokrătĭ́ā) is derived from δῆμος (dêmos, “the common people; free citizens, sovereign people; popular assembly; popular government, democracy”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European deh₂- (“to divide; to share”)) + -κρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (-krătĭ́ā, suffix meaning ‘government; rule’) (from κρᾰ́τος (krắtos, “might, strength; dominion, power”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kret- (“insight, intelligence; strength”)) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, suffix forming feminine abstract nouns)). By surface analysis, demo- + -cratic or democrat + -ic.
Typically precedes the noun it modifies; can be used to describe both political systems and informal group dynamics.