pundit

noun

pun·​dit ˈpən-dət How to pronounce pundit (audio)
1
: pandit
2
: a learned person : teacher
3
: a person who gives opinions in an authoritative manner usually through the mass media : critic
punditry noun

Did you know?

It’s no hot take to say that the original pundits were highly learned scholars and teachers in India; it’s just a statement of fact. Our English word pundit comes from the Hindi word paṇḍit, a term of respect (and sometimes an honorary title) for a wise person, especially one with knowledge of philosophy, religion, and law; its ultimate source is the Sanskrit word paṇḍita, meaning “learned.” English speakers have used pundit to refer to sages of India since the 1600s, but as is typically done with English, they eventually pushed the word into new semantic territory. By the late 1800s, pundit could also refer to a member of what is sometimes called the commentariat or punditocracy—that is, the collective group of political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists often paid to share their views on a variety of subjects.

Examples of pundit in a Sentence

a moral question that has puzzled the pundits throughout the ages the new mini laptop has gotten a thumbs-up from industry pundits
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Apparently, Musk believes that Alex Jones, the far-right pundit and conspiracy theorist who is best known for repeatedly claiming that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that killed 20 children and 6 adults was part of a government hoax, belongs in this collective consciousness. John Hyatt, Forbes, 29 Jan. 2025 Though pundits and fans pegged Buffalo to finally get over the playoff hump and into the Super Bowl, that will not be the case. Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 28 Jan. 2025 Oliver and the wider officiating team in charge of the Premier League match between Wolves and Arsenal came under criticism from both pundits and social media for the decision to send off Gunners youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly at the end of the first half. Matias Grez, CNN, 27 Jan. 2025 Rachel Maddow anchors live coverage of the inauguration beginning at 10 a.m. ET, joined by pundits including Joy Reid, Chris Hayes and Jen Psaki. Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for pundit 

Word History

Etymology

Hindi paṇḍit, from Sanskrit paṇḍita, from paṇḍita learned

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pundit was in 1661

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Dictionary Entries Near pundit

Cite this Entry

“Pundit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pundit. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.

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