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Where does the word "theocracy" come from? It comes from Greek theos, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).
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Where does the word "theocracy" come from? It comes from Greek theos, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).
Theocracy’s story begins in Greek: theos meant “god.” God, combined with kratos (power). It reached English by 1600s as theocracy. Settled as the English word for government by religious authority. Today, theocracy means a system of government in which priests or religious authority rule in the name of a god.
- Stage 1 · Greek · ancient theos "god", god, combined with kratos (power).
- Stage 2 · English · 1600s theocracy "government by religious authority", settled as the English word for government by religious authority.