Word of the Day - 09/12/26
demagogue
/'dɛmə,ɡɔɡ/(n.): a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions and prejudices
The demagogue exploited the public's fears, blaming the country's problems on a convenient scapegoat while promising simple solutions to complex issues.
Word Origin
The word 'demagogue' originates from Ancient Greek. It is formed from two parts: 'dēmos' (δῆμος), meaning 'people', and 'agōgos' (ἀγωγός), meaning 'leading' or 'leader' (from the verb 'agein' ἀγειν, 'to lead'). Thus, a demagogue was originally a 'leader of the people'. Over time, the term acquired negative connotations, referring to a leader who gains power by arousing the emotions and prejudices of the populace rather than by rational argument.
Words with similar origins include 'democracy' (from 'dēmos' + 'kratia' meaning 'rule by'), 'demographic' (from 'dēmos' + 'graphia' meaning 'writing, description'), 'epidemic' (from 'epi' meaning 'upon' + 'dēmos'), and 'pedagogy' (from 'paidos' meaning 'child' + 'agōgos').