# theocracy

/θiˈɑkɹəsi/ (US) · /θɪˈɒkɹəsi/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/theocracy
Updated: 2026-10-19

## Definition

a country or system where religious leaders are in charge and make the laws. The rules of the religion become the rules of the state.

For teachers: a system of government in which political authority derives from divine guidance and is exercised by religious leaders or institutions. Religious doctrine functions as the source of civil law and public policy.

## Examples

- In a theocracy, religious leaders make the laws.
- The country is often described as a theocracy because senior clerics hold final authority over laws and elections.
- Scholars debate whether the early colony was a true theocracy, since ministers shaped criminal codes yet merchants still influenced trade policy through elected assemblies.

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