Word of the day · 18 May 2026
republic
/rɪˈpʌblɪk/
noun
A state in which supreme power rests with the people or their representatives, usually without a monarch as head of state.
In a sentence
- After the monarchy fell, leaders declared a republic.
- Civics class compared a republic with a constitutional monarchy.
- The constitution opened with the aims of the new republic.
In an image
Origin
From Latin res publica (the public matter, the commonwealth).
History
Rome’s republic and later modern republics share the idea that the state is a public trust, not a royal household. Many republics are democracies; some are not free in practice. The U.S. founders argued over republic versus pure democracy as forms of popular government. Lookups spike when civics debates reuse the old vocabulary.
Nearby words
commonwealth · democracy · state
Public rule without a hereditary crown at the top.