anti-republican
|an-ti-re-pub-li-can|
/ˌænti rɪˈpʌblɪkən/
against republic/republicans
Etymology
'anti-republican' originates from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti', meaning 'against') combined with 'republican' (from 'republic' + suffix '-an').
'republic' originates from Latin 'res publica' meaning 'public thing'; 'republican' was formed from 'republic' + '-an' in English; the prefix 'anti-' has been attached in English to form political oppositions (e.g., anti- + political noun) since modern usage, producing 'anti-republican'.
Initially it could mean simply 'against a republic' (opposed to republican forms of government), but over time it has also come to be used to mean 'opposed to the (U.S.) Republican Party' (especially when capitalized).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who is opposed to republicanism or to the Republican Party.
Many anti-republicans criticized the party's recent platform during the debate.
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Adjective 1
opposed to a republic or to republicanism (i.e., against the idea or system of government by a republic).
The group's platform was explicitly anti-republican, arguing for a return to monarchical institutions.
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Adjective 2
opposed to the (U.S.) Republican Party or its policies (often written with a capital R: Anti-Republican).
The candidate ran as an anti-Republican in a district dominated by GOP voters.
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Last updated: 2025/11/19 16:02