the word 'theocracy' is a modern formation, coined from ancient greek elements to describe a specific political concept. the first element, 'theo-', derives from the greek 'theos', a term for a god or deity, which itself can be traced back to the proto-indo-european root dhes-, used in words for religious concepts. the second element, '-cracy', comes from the greek '-kratia', meaning 'power or rule', from 'kratos' meaning 'strength, power'. literally meaning 'rule by god', the term was adopted into english in the 17th century to denote a state where divine law is the foundation of civil law and where religious authorities hold political power.

Structure: theo (god) + cracy (rule) theo- from greek 'theos' meaning 'god, deity'. -cracy from greek '-kratia' meaning 'power, rule, government'.