Page "Athenian democracy" Paragraph 4

The word " democracy " ( Greek: δημοκρατία ) combines the elements dêmos ( δῆμος, which means " people ") and krátos ( κράτος, which means " force " or " power ").

In the words " monarchy " and " oligarchy ", the second element arche ( ἀρχή ) means " rule ", " leading " or " being first ".

It is unlikely that the term " democracy " was coined by its detractors who rejected the possibility of a valid " demarchy ", as the word " demarchy " already existed and had the meaning of mayor or municipal.

One could assume the new term was coined and adopted by Athenian democrats.