a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them
"After years of military rule, the nation finally transitioned into a republic where voters could choose representatives to make laws on their behalf."
a form of government whose head of state is not a monarch
"the head of state in a republic is usually a president"
A state where sovereignty rests with the people or their representatives, rather than with a monarch or emperor; a country with no monarchy.
"After centuries of rule by kings, our nation finally became a republic when its citizens voted to establish a government led entirely by elected officials."
In plain English: A republic is a country where leaders are chosen by voting instead of being born into power or named by a king.
"Many people around the world live in republics where leaders are elected by the citizens."
Usage: Use republic to describe any nation governed by elected officials and citizens rather than hereditary rulers like kings or emperors. This term distinguishes countries without a monarchy from those ruled by a single family dynasty.
A small city in Republic County, Kansas, United States.
"The train stopped at Republic before heading further west through Kansas."
The word republic comes from the Latin phrase rēspūblicā, which literally means "the public thing." It entered English via Middle French, combining the words for "thing" and "public" to describe a state belonging to its citizens.