/dɪ'mɒkrəsɪ; də`mɑkrəsɪ/
n
1 (a) [U] system of government by the whole people of a country, esp through representatives whom they elect 民主; 民主政治; 民主政体; 民主制度
*parliamentary democracy 议会民主政体.
(b) [C] country having such a system 民主国家
*the Western democracies 西方的民主国家.
2 [C, U] (country with a) government that allows freedom of speech, religion and political opinion, that upholds the rule of law and majority rule and that respects the rights of minorities 民主政府; 有民主政府的国家
*the principles of democracy 民主政府的原则.
3 (a) [U] treatment of each other by citizens as equals, without social class divisions 民主精神; 民主作风
*Is there more democracy in Australia than in Britain? 澳大利亚比英国更民主吗?
(b) [C] society where such conditions exist 民主社会.
4 [U] control of an organization by its members, who take part in the making of decisions （一组织由其成员的）民主管理
*industrial democracy 企业的民主管理.

npluraldemocracies
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Old French;Origin: democratie, from Greek demokratia, from demos 'people' + -kratia 'rule']
[U]
a system of government in which every citizen in the country can vote to elect its government officials
　a return to democracy after 16 years of military rule
[C]
a country that has a government which has been elected by the people of the country
　a parliamentary democracy
　Western democracies
[U]
a situation or system in which everyone is equal and has the right to vote, make decisions etc
→democratic
　democracy within the trade unions