You may mean something else by the word -- but words do have meanings. A republic is not a democracy, and a democracy is not a republic. They're different forms of government.
Many people do erroneously call the US a democracy, but that doesn't make it correct or irrelevant.
There is an important core difference that makes it meaningful to be clear: Republics give rise to career politicians, easy choke points for corruption. This is one of the often-discounted things behind Trump's election, he's an outsider who was vocal about this problem and cleaning it up.
I'm really not interested in nitpicking beyond that. Talk to someone else or go elsewhere if you are.