Legal terminology · Roots of public life

crat- / -cracy — Power or rule

crat- / -cracy means power or rule. Ancient Greek source words and legal terminology examples: aristocracy.

Meaning and source words

Meaning: Power or rule

• Ancient Greek: κράτος (kratos)

Examples and word parts

aristocracy

Government by a privileged ruling group; the older word described rule by those regarded as the best.

Word parts: arist/o (best) + -cracy (rule)

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Related roots of public life terms

• lex / leg- — Law

  legislation

• jus / jur- — Right or law

  jurisprudence

• nom/o — Law or custom

  autonomy

• polit- — City or civic life

  political

• dem/o — People or citizen body

  democracy

• arch- / -archy — Leadership or rule

  monarchy

• eth- / eth/o — Custom or character

  ethics

• amnest- — Forgetting or overlooking

  amnesty

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