Definition

1. Noun:
   • A state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch. A republic is a form of government characterized by popular sovereignty and representative leadership.
   • A political system or community with such a government. The term can refer to the system itself or to the country operating under it.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • France is a republic with a president as its head of state.
  • The ancient Roman Republic was a precursor to the empire.
  • They advocated for transforming the kingdom into a republic.

Advanced Usage

• "banana republic": A small, politically unstable country with an economy dependent on a single export, often controlled by foreign interests.
  • The novel criticized the corporation's exploitation of the banana republic.
• "the republic of letters": The collective realm of writers and scholars.
  • Her groundbreaking work earned her a respected place in the republic of letters.

Variants and Related Words

• Republican (adj): Relating to or characteristic of a republic.
  • The country's republican ideals are enshrined in its constitution.
• Republicanism (n): The ideology of governing a nation as a republic.
  • His political philosophy is rooted in classical republicanism.

Synonyms

• Commonwealth: A nation or state founded on law and united by the common good of its people.
• Democracy: A system of government by the whole population, typically through elected representatives. (Note: All republics are democracies, but not all democracies are republics; some are constitutional monarchies.)

Related Phrases

• to declare a republic: To formally establish a republican form of government.
  • The colony fought for independence to declare a republic.

Noun

1. a form of government whose head of state is not a monarch
   • the head of state in a republic is usually a president
2. a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them