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demagogue

noun
/ˈdɛməɡɑɡ/US/ˈdɛməɡɒɡ/UK

Etymology

From Middle French démagogue, from Ancient Greek δημαγωγός (dēmagōgós, “popular leader, mob leader”), from δῆμος (dêmos, “people”) + ἀγωγός (agōgós, “guide”). By surface analysis, dem- + -agogue.

  1. derived from δημαγωγός — “popular leader, mob leader”
  2. derived from démagogue

Definitions

  1. A political orator or leader, especially in a democratic system, who gains favor by…

    A political orator or leader, especially in a democratic system, who gains favor by pandering to or exciting the passions and prejudices of the audience rather than by using rational argument.

    • 1938, O'Neill, translating The Knights by Aristophanes, 424 BC, lines 191-193, A demagogue must be neither an educated nor an honest man; he has to be an ignoramus and a rogue.

  2. A leader of the people.

  3. To speak or act in the manner of a demagogue

    To speak or act in the manner of a demagogue; to speak about (an issue) in the manner of a demagogue.

    • c. 1938, Maury Maverick, The New York Times, quoted in 1970, Richard B. Henderson, Maury Maverick: A Political Biography, page 183, I never demagogued on our serious questions and stood for civil liberties.
    • Talk to anyone with half a brain (and at least half a heart) and they will tell you, regardless of their position, that this is an issue to be weighed, not demagogued.

The neighborhood

Derived

demagocracy, demagogic, demagogical, demagogism, demagogracy, demagoguery, demagogy

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for demagogue. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA