The word 'undemocratic' is a modern English formation built upon the established adjective 'democratic'. The core concept of 'democratic' originates from ancient Greek political philosophy, combining 'dēmos' (common people, citizenry) and 'kratos' (strength, power, rule) to signify "rule by the people." This term entered English via French in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Old English prefix 'un-', a prolific negator in Germanic languages, was later attached to 'democratic' to create its direct opposite, logically constructing the meaning "not characterized by or supporting the rule of the people." This morphological process showcases how English readily generates precise antonyms by prefixing established Latinate or Greek terms with native Germanic elements.

Structure: un (not) + democratic (relating to democracy) - un: A prefix of Germanic (Old English) origin, meaning "not," used to form negatives of adjectives and their derivatives. - democratic: An adjective of Greek and French origin, from 'democrat-' (relating to democracy) + the adjectival suffix '-ic'. The root 'democrat-' itself derives from Greek 'dēmos' (people) + 'kratos' (power, rule).