republic
n.-
1 government without a monarch (n.) B1 Intermediatea country that is governed by elected representatives and an elected leader, such as a president, instead of a king or queen.
A sovereign state in which supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them.
ExampleAfter the revolution, the country became a republic and elected its first president.
ExampleThe transition from a constitutional monarchy to a federal republic required significant amendments to the nation's founding legal documents.
- democracy
- commonwealth
- self government
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2 a political subdivision (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatea specific region or province within a larger country that has its own government, common in places like Russia.
A constituent political unit or administrative division within certain federal states, notably used in the Russian Federation or the former Soviet Union.
ExampleThe traveler visited several different republics during his trip across Central Asia.
ExampleThe autonomous republic maintained its own legislative assembly while remaining a formal part of the larger federal union.
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3 the Roman Republic (n.) B2 Upper Intermediate Formalthe period of ancient Roman civilization when it was governed by elected officials before it became an empire.
The historical era of ancient Roman civilization beginning with the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom and ending with the establishment of the Roman Empire.
ExampleIn history class, we learned how the Roman Republic was governed by the Senate.
ExampleScholars often debate the exact moment when the institutions of the Republic finally collapsed under the weight of military dictatorship.
From Middle French republique (“republic”), from Latin rēspūblicā, from rēs (“thing”) + pūblica (“public”); hence literally “the public thing”.
- Nounrepublic
- Nounrepublican