Definition

A group of people who own slaves or support the practice of slavery, especially in the southern United States before the Civil War.

Example

The slavocracy held significant power in the political landscape of the South.

Conversation

I was reading about the history of the South, and I came across the term slavocracy.

Oh really? What does that mean exactly?

It refers to the ruling class of slaveholders before the Civil War.

That makes sense; it's crazy to think about how society was structured back then.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Slavocracy is formed from "Slav" (referring to the Slavic people, derived from the Proto-Slavic *slavъ, meaning glory or fame) and "-cracy" (from Greek "kratos", meaning power or rule). The term refers to a system of government or rule by Slavs or a society dominated by Slavic people.

Memory Tip

Think of 'Slav' representing the Slavic people and '-cracy' meaning rule or power — this helps you remember that 'slavocracy' refers to a rule by Slavic people.

Visually Confused Words