Nondemocratically

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a way that contravenes the ideals of democratic governance
2. Through actions that do not align with the principles of democracy
3. Acting or happening without following democratic processes or equal participation

Etymology: "Nondemocratically" is a plain built-up adverb: it takes "nondemocratic" and adds the adverbial ending "-ally," which turns adjectives ending in "-ic" into adverbs of manner, so "nondemocratic" becomes "nondemocratically" as in "to act nondemocratically." The adjective itself is the sum of three parts: the prefix "non-," meaning "not," the stem "democratic," and the adjective ending "-ic." The stem traces back to the Greek "dēmokratia," from "dēmos" ("people") and "kratos" ("rule" or "power"), so the whole word literally describes acting in ways that fail to let the people rule. Because the word is made by stacking ordinary, productive parts, it has no single coiner or first recorded use to point to. Its meaning follows directly from its pieces: the negation, the democratic principle, and the manner marked by the adverbial ending.

Antonyms: democratically