demagogia

demagoguery

noun deh-mah-goh-JEE-ah Rare

Origin: From Greek 'dēmagōgia', from 'dēmos' (people) + 'agein' (to lead).

Usage Note

Demagogia refers to the political practice of appealing to popular prejudices and emotions rather than reasoned argument. It is always used pejoratively in Italian. The agent noun is demagogo (m) / demagoga (f). The adjective is demagogico. It is a formal, political-register word common in editorial and academic discourse.

Examples

"Il suo discorso era pura demagogia."

Natural Translation

His speech was pure demagoguery.

Free starter pack

Building your Italian vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Italian words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Italian Prepositions: A, In, Di, Da, Su Made Simple

Cities take a, countries take in, origin is di, agents are da. Master the five Italian prepositions a, in, di, da, su and their contractions fast.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Adjective Agreement & Placement Made Simple

Italian adjectives agree in gender and number and usually sit after the noun. Master the -o/-a/-i/-e endings, the BAGS rule, and meaning-shifting pairs.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian False Friends: 20 Words That Trick You

Italian false friends like preservativo, parenti, and caldo mean the opposite of what English speakers expect. Here are 20 ranked by how badly they bite.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Hand Gestures: Meanings & When to Use

Italian hand gestures decoded: what the pinched fingers, cheek screw, and chin flick mean, which ones are safe to use, and the one gesture to never make.

June 5, 2026 6 min read