Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. Journalists considered as a group; the public press.
Wiktionary
- n. obsolete A hypothetical fourth class of civic subjects, or fourth body (in Britain, after the Crown, and the two Houses of Parliament) which governed legislation.
- n. idiomatic Journalism or journalists considered as a group; the Press.
WordNet 3.0
- n. the press, including journalists, newspaper writers, photographers
Etymologies
- The three (in England) estates were originally the three classes of people who could participate in government, either directly or by electing representatives – originally the clergy, barons/knights, and the commons (though they changed over time). Later the "three estates" were misunderstood as being the three governmental powers necessary for legislation: the Crown, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons; from there, the idea of a "fourth estate" was often used in satirical or jocular expressions, before developing a fixed association with the Press. (Wiktionary)
Examples
“In fact, it was a sort of fourth estate of the realm; nearly as much so, indeed, as the Newspaper Press is in our time.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘fourth estate’.
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UK Realia
Shoo!, Holly, Pixie, Mr Paws, Shandy, Snowy, Tibbles, Tufty, bull terrier, cocker spaniel, Irish setter, Yorkshire terrier and 1132 more...
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sionnach's Words
contumely, fomite, holmgang, poltroon, eleemosynary, obsidian, nugatory, grindcore, felch, recrudescent, pyx, parenteral and 3271 more...
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The Spectacle
DISTRACT, STARE, CONSUME
(repeat)gongoozler, television, sporting events, blockbuster, alienation, situationist, technocapitalism, media extravaganza, sex scandal, hypnotic behavior, fantastic visions, prime time and 164 more...
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New words, not to be confused with th...
maladroit, aphasia, delphinium, bromide, greenhorn, just deserts, loth, supplanted, steeplechase, steeple, annex, vestments and 236 more...
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Extraordinary Ordinals
beethoven's ninth, third world, fourth estate, fifth column, second coming, seventh heaven, third degree, second best, first kiss, sixth sense, celestino the fifth, third rock from t... and 12 more...
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Rapunzel79's Words
progress, krill, monte, taffies, variant, ma'am, absolute, fourth estate
Tweets
Looking for tweets for fourth estate.
reesetee Funny you should ask that, John. :-) Dec 10, 2007
john Could there be a list here--numbered groups? The first world, the fifth column, seventh heaven... Dec 10, 2007
kewpid The clergy, the nobles, and the commoners. Dec 10, 2007
sonofgroucho I know I should know, but remind me what the other three are, please! Dec 10, 2007