DictionaryRoot: dēmos
Greek
dēmos
people or a district
Forms
- dēmos
- dem- — Used before some endings.
- demo- — Used when joining to another element.
Origin
An old Greek word whose deeper formation is debated.
Note
A local district and its inhabitants could be understood through the same word.
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noun / verb
demagogue
DEM-uh-gahg/ˈdeməɡɑːɡ/
Exploiting fear, prejudice, or popular passions to gain political support.
Etymology
Literally a “leader of the people,” the word was already often disparaging in ancient Greek use. It describes leadership that wins popular support by pandering to prejudices and passions.