ENGLISH
REFERENCE

republic

n. countable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ɹiˈpəbɫək// UK //ɹɪpˈʌblɪk// re·pub·lic Archaic

n. a country where the people elect their leaders and representatives. It does not have a king or queen.

n. a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives. It typically features an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.


SIMPLE

France is a republic with an elected president.

CONTEXTUAL

After the revolution, the country abolished the monarchy and established a republic to give citizens a voice in government.

COMPLEX

The transition from a monarchy to a republic required drafting a new constitution that carefully balanced power between the executive branch and the newly formed parliament.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle French republique (“republic”), from Latin rēspūblicā, from rēs (“thing”) + pūblica (“public”); hence literally “the public thing”.

Usage

Often capitalised when forming part of a nation's official name.

Idioms1 entry

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