-cracy Also -crat, -cratic, and -cratical.
Government, rule, or influence.
[Greek -kratia, power or rule.]
Many terms in -cracy have been coined, though only a small number are at all well known; most can mean either a system of influence or rule or a society so ruled, as with democracy, rule through elected representatives; a few can also refer to the rulers as a group, as with aristocracy (Greek aristos, best), rule by members of the highest social class.
The form is active, used to create words for influential groups with characteristics in common: punditocracy, media commentators; adhocracy, a loose group of influential advisers; meritocracy, government or the holding of power by people selected on the basis of their educational ability.
All can have associated adjectives in -cratic (bureaucratic, meritocratic), and nouns in -crat for a member of the relevant class or group (aristocrat, autocrat). A few can also have adjectives in -cratical (aristocratical, democratical), but these are much rarer than the corresponding forms in -cratic.
Examples of words in -cracy
| aristocracy | rule by the highest social class | Greek aristos, best |
| autocracy | rule by one person with absolute power | Greek autos, self |
| bureaucracy | government in which officials take most of the decisions | French bureau, office |
| democracy | rule by all citizens | Greek dēmos, the people |
| gerontocracy | rule by old people | Greek gerōn, old man |
| mediocracy | rule by mediocre people or a system in which mediocrity is rewarded | Latin mediocris, middling |
| meritocracy | rule by those selected on the basis of ability | English merit |
| mobocracy | rule by the mob | English mob |
| plutocracy | rule by the rich | Greek ploutos, wealth |
| technocracy | control of society by technical experts | English technology |
| teledemocracy | democracy mediated or operated by telecommunications or television | Greek tēle-, far off. |
| thalassocracy | rule over the seas | Greek thal, sea |
| theocracy | rule by priests | Greek theos, God |
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