republican
republican — noun
1. a person who believes the people of a country should pick their own leaders thro
a person who believes the people of a country should pick their own leaders through elections rather than accept a ruler by birth.
Zayd became a republican after studying how elected governments work in other countries.
countable noun: a + republican
The king ordered the arrest of known republicans who were meeting in secret.
plural noun: the + republicans
Jiwoo's grandfather was a passionate republican who helped write the new constitution after the revolution.
In the election republicans won enough seats to begin drafting a new form of government.
- anti-monarchist
more specific — refers to someone actively opposed to monarchy rather than simply in favour of a republic
- democrat
broader — can refer to anyone who believes in democracy, not specifically anti-monarchy
- monarchist
someone who supports government by a king or queen
文法句型
a + republican
the + republicans
用法筆記
Lowercase (republican) refers to supporters of a republic in general. Capitalized (Republican) refers to the US political party — see sense 2 below.
常見錯誤
2. a person who belongs to or supports the Republican Party, one of the two main po
a person who belongs to or supports the Republican Party, one of the two main political parties in the United States.
Jenna has been a registered Republican for over fifteen years and campaigns every election season.
countable: a + registered Republican
The two Republicans on the committee voted against the tax increase proposed by the Democrats.
plural: the + Republicans
Arizona voters elected a Republican to fill the empty Senate seat last November.
Darius is a lifelong Republican who disagrees with his party on trade policy but still supports its overall direction.
- GOP member
GOP stands for Grand Old Party, a common nickname for the Republican Party; slightly informal
- conservative
broader term — not all conservatives are Republicans, and not all Republicans are conservative
- Democrat
a member or supporter of the Democratic Party, the other major US political party
文法句型
a + Republican
the + Republicans
用法筆記
Always capitalized (Republican) when referring to the US political party to distinguish it from supporters of a republic in general (sense 1). The party is often referred to as the GOP (Grand Old Party).
常見錯誤
3. someone in Northern Ireland who wants the region to leave the UK and unite with
someone in Northern Ireland who wants the region to leave the UK and unite with the rest of Ireland.
Unionists who want to stay in the UK and republicans who seek a united Ireland both signed the peace agreement.
contrastive pairing: unionists and republicans
João's neighbour is a well-known republican from Belfast who speaks at rallies about Irish reunification.
Some republicans rejected the power-sharing deal, arguing it did not bring Northern Ireland close enough to unification.
The newspaper interviewed a former republican who now works for a cross-community charity in Derry.
- Irish nationalist
broader — can include those who seek unification through peaceful political means
- nationalist
more general — in Northern Ireland, often specifically refers to those who identify with Irish rather than British identity
文法句型
a + republican
the + republicans
用法筆記
In this sense 'republican' is usually lowercase. Frequently paired with or contrasted with 'unionist' or 'loyalist'. This sense carries strong historical and political associations with the conflict known as the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
常見錯誤
republican — adjective
1. relating to a system where citizens choose their leaders by voting, with no mona
relating to a system where citizens choose their leaders by voting, with no monarch as head of state.
Many countries in Europe have a republican form of government rather than a monarchy.
attributive: republican + form of government
Ingrid's school project compared the republican system of France with the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom.
The new constitution established republican principles including free elections and equal rights for all citizens.
Citizens in a republican state elect both their head of government and their legislative representatives.
- democratic
broader — relates to democracy in general; a republic is one type of democratic system
- representative
focuses on the idea of elected representation rather than the structure of the state
- monarchical
relating to a system with a king or queen as head of state
文法句型
republican + noun
be + republican
用法筆記
When lowercase, this sense describes the form of government. Do not confuse with the capitalized 'Republican' which describes the US political party (see adjective sense 2).
常見錯誤
2. belonging to, relating to, or supporting the Republican Party, one of the two ma
belonging to, relating to, or supporting the Republican Party, one of the two main political parties in the United States.
Mizuki works as a communications advisor for a Republican senator from Ohio.
attributive: Republican + senator
Republican voters in the state are divided over the proposed healthcare changes.
The Republican candidate delivered a speech focused on tax cuts and economic growth.
Beatriz switched her registration from Democratic to Republican ahead of the primary election.
- GOP
abbreviation for Grand Old Party; used as a modifier ('GOP leaders'), slightly informal
- conservative
broader — describes political positions often associated with Republicans but not identical
- Democratic
relating to the Democratic Party, the other major US political party
文法句型
Republican + noun
用法筆記
Always capitalized (Republican) when referring to the US party. Commonly paired with party roles: 'Republican senator', 'Republican governor', 'Republican candidate', 'Republican voter'.