Dictionary

squattocracy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs Proto-Italic *eks Latin ex Latin ex- Old French es- Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin co- Latin agō Latin cōgō Latin coāctusder. Old French quatir Old French esquatirder. Middle English squatten English squat Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-)der. Latin -o-bor. English -o- Proto-Indo-European *kret-der. Ancient Greek κρᾰ́τος (krắtos) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-íā Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā) Ancient Greek -κρᾰτῐ́ᾱ (-krătĭ́ā)bor. English -cracy English -ocracy English squattocracy From squat + -ocracy.

Meanings

1. (Australia, historical, uncountable, usually) Wealthy landowners (squatters) considered as a class.
   • They held respected positions and wielded power in country towns, but in the wider district the pastoral squattocracy was still considered powerful and important. That attentive second echelon of society liked, where possible, to be seen to be associated with the squattocracy. 2005, Rosamond Siemon, The Eccentric Mr Wienholt, University of Queensland Press, page 206:
   • 1862, Clara Aspinall, Three Years in Melbourne, 2010, Forgotten Books, page 235, Most of the Squattocracy are members of “The Club,” and therefore know who are the chief agreeable idlers (I mean gentlemen who are not oppressed with business) to whom to introduce a stranger.
   • The prejudices of the home counties squirearchy had clearly taken root among the Australian squattocracy. 2010, Tony Moore, Death Or Liberty: Rebels and Radicals Transported to Australia 1788-1868, unnumbered page:

Forms

Relateds

bunyip aristocracy