monocracy

noun

mo·noc·ra·cy mä-ˈnä-krə-sē

mə-

Synonyms of monocracy next

: government by a single person

monocrat

ˈmä-nə-ˌkrat

noun

monocratic

ˌmä-nə-ˈkra-tik

adjective

Did you know?

In society's search for the best kind of government, the suffix -cracy (which means "form of government" and traces to the Greek kratos, meaning "strength" or "power") has worn many hats. "Monocracy" pairs "-cracy" with a descendant of monos, meaning "alone" or "single." The suffix also underlies other governmental terms including "democracy" ("government by the people"), "aristocracy" ("government by a small privileged class"), "theocracy" ("government by divine guidance"), "ochlocracy" ("government by the mob"), and "gerontocracy" ("rule by elders").

Examples of monocracy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The Biden administration justified its decision — or no decision — with the tired old rationalizations and justifications that the U.S. has been using for years to give the medieval monocracy a pass on human rights violations. —