theocracy (English)

Where does "theocracy" come from?

The word theocracy originates from the Ancient Greek term theokratía, which translates to 'rule of God.' It was coined in the 1st century by the historian Josephus to describe the unique governance of the ancient Israelites. By the 1620s, the term entered the English language through writers like John Donne, who used it to refer to a government controlled by divine authority.

Full etymology tree

• theocracy (English), 'Government under the control of a state religion.'
  • derived θεοκρατία (theokratía) (Ancient Greek), 'theocracy'
    • compound θεός (theós) (Ancient Greek), 'divine (used only in comparative: θεώτερος (theṓteros))'
    • compound κρᾰτέω (kratéō) (Ancient Greek)

Direct ancestors

• theo (English)

Updated July 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris