democrat
HighFormal, Political, General
Definition
Meaning
An advocate for a system of government where power is held by the people, typically through elected representatives.
A member or supporter of a specific political party (e.g., the Democratic Party in the US) or a person who promotes social equality and the rights of the individual.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Capitalized ('Democrat') when referring specifically to a member of the US Democratic Party; lowercase ('democrat') when referring to the general principle.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, the term is mostly a general political descriptor (small 'd'). In the US, it is overwhelmingly used as the proper noun for a member/supporter of the Democratic Party (capital 'D').
Connotations
UK: Neutral/positive as a descriptor of belief. US: Highly partisan, carrying strong political identity and associated ideological connotations.
Frequency
Far more frequent in US English due to its constant use in partisan political discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[ADJ] + democrat[democrat] + from + [PLACE]democrat + [who/that] + [CLAUSE]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “democrat with a small 'd'”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in context of political risk analysis (e.g., 'The new Democrat proposal could affect corporate taxes').
Academic
Common in political science, history, and sociology texts, discussing systems of governance and party politics.
Everyday
Common in news and political discussion, especially in the US.
Technical
Specific in political science for classifying systems or party affiliation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- No common verb form in use.
American English
- No common verb form in use.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form.
American English
- No standard adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- He holds democrat values dear.
- The party's democrat credentials were questioned.
American English
- The Democrat candidate won the primary.
- She is running on a Democrat platform.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She is a democrat.
- Many people in my country are democrats.
- The democrat won the local election.
- He has always voted for the Democrat candidate.
- As a lifelong Democrat, she campaigned vigorously for healthcare reform.
- The senator, a conservative Democrat from a rural state, often broke with her party.
- The blue-dog Democrat's defection on the bill highlighted the deep ideological fissures within the caucus.
- His philosophical commitment to being a small-'d' democrat often clashed with the pragmatic demands of party politics.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of DEMO (people) + CRAT (ruler) = a person who believes the people should rule.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLITICAL AFFILIATION IS A TEAM (e.g., 'He's a loyal Democrat').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'демократ' without context, as the Russian term can imply a specific post-Soviet political faction. For the US party member, 'член Демократической партии' is clearer.
Common Mistakes
- Capitalization errors (using 'democrat' for the US party).
- Using as a synonym for 'person who agrees with me' rather than a specific political identifier.
Practice
Quiz
When is the word 'Democrat' capitalized?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'democrat' (lowercase) believes in democracy as a system. A 'Democrat' (capitalized) is a member or supporter of the US Democratic Party.
Yes, especially in US English (e.g., 'the Democrat senator'). In formal writing, 'Democratic' is often preferred for the US party (e.g., 'the Democratic platform'), but 'Democrat' as an adjective is common in journalism and speech.
It is a neutral political descriptor, but its connotations depend entirely on the speaker's political views and context.
It refers to a person who believes in democratic principles in general, not necessarily to a member of a specific party named 'Democrat'.