demagogue
Part of speech: noun
verb
Morphological type: derivation
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.
Inflected forms:
form: demagogues
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: demagog
pos: noun
tags: alternative
US
form: demagogues
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: demagoguing
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: demagogued
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: demagogued
pos: verb
tags: past
form: demagog
pos: verb
tags: alternative
US
Senses:
gloss: 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.
pos: noun
tags: derogatory
examples: 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.
If the majority of our fellow-citizens are more susceptible to the slogans of fear and race hatred than to those of peaceful accommodation and mutual respect among human beings, our political liberties remain at the mercy of any eloquent and unscrupulous demagogue.
What is a demagogue? He is a politician skilled in oratory, flattery and invective; evasive in discussing vital issues; promising everything to everybody; appealing to the passions rather than the reason of the public; and arousing racial, religious, and class prejudices—a man whose lust for power without recourse to principle leads him to seek to become a master of the masses. He has for centuries practiced his profession of 'man of the people'. He is a product of a political tradition nearly as old as western civilization itself.
It is true that America has a paranoid streak in its politics, and demagogues come along from time to time to feed on anger and resentment.
gloss: A leader of the people.
pos: noun
tags: historical
gloss: To speak or act in the manner of a demagogue; to speak about (an issue) in the manner of a demagogue.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
transitive
examples: 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.
On the subject of foreign aid, although it is a relatively unimportant economic category, it is an area of expenditure that has frequently been demagogued and has been a favorite target of politicians during tough times in the domestic economy.
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.
Fear-mongering, and demagoguing on the issue of immigrants, has been Mr. Trump’s preferred speed since he announced his first candidacy for the presidency in June 2015, and he has often found a receptive audience for it.
Related words: galactagogue
ochlagogue
pedagogue
synagogue
Derived words: demagocracy
demagogic
demagogical
demagogism
demagogracy
demagoguery
demagogy
Translations: