Today’s word comes from the news.
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Part of Speech
- A government by those who seek chiefly status and personal gain at the expense of the governed.
- A government or state in which those in power exploit national resources and steal.
- A government where officials are politically corrupt and financially self-interested.
This word was first used in 1819, defined as rule by a thief or thieves. From the Greek root klepto-, from kleptein to steal; akin to Goth hlifan to steal, and the Latin clepere.
This word has no known synonyms.
This word has no known antonyms.
Usage and Examples
Here are a couple of examples:
- Duncan saw the economy collapse as wealth distribution in the kleptocracy shifted toward the billionaire class.
- Talbot knew that no political parties were immune to the growing infection of kleptocracy in US politics.