Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One who is actively involved or skilled in politics, especially one who holds a political office.
  • noun One who deceives or outmaneuvers others for personal gain.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun One who is versed in the science of government and the art of governing; one who is skilled in politics.
  • noun One who occupies himself with polities; one who devotes himself to public affairs or to the promotion of the interests of a political party; one who is practically interested in politics; in a bad sense, one who concerns himself with public affairs not from patriotism or public spirit, but for his own profit or that of his friends, or of a clique or party.
  • noun A politic or crafty person; a petty and generally an unscrupulous schemer; a trickster.
  • Politic; using artifice.
  • Of or pertaining to politicians or their methods.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun One versed or experienced in the science of government; one devoted to politics; a statesman.
  • noun One primarily devoted to his own advancement in public office, or to the success of a political party; -- used in a depreciatory sense; one addicted or attached to politics as managed by parties (see Politics, 2); a schemer; an intriguer.
  • adjective Cunning; using artifice; politic; artful.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun One engaged in politics, especially an elected or appointed government official.
  • noun Specifically, one who regards elected political office as a career.
  • noun A politically active or interested person.
  • noun A sly or ingratiating person.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a schemer who tries to gain advantage in an organization in sly or underhanded ways
  • noun a person active in party politics
  • noun a leader engaged in civil administration

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

politic +‎ -ian

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Examples

  • With respect to the proposition that some politician is deceitful, traditional grammar suggests the division ˜Some politician/is deceitful™, with the noun ˜politician™ forming a constituent with the quantificational word.

    Logical Form Pietroski, Paul 2009

  • How do you avoid the label politician, when you are one, good or bad.

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local ColoradoThunder 2010

  • How do you avoid the label politician, when you are one, good or bad.

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local ColoradoThunder 2010

  • How do you avoid the label politician, when you are one, good or bad.

    Denver Post: News: Breaking: Local ColoradoThunder 2010

  • With obvious reference to the Kennedy funeral, he argued that when a politician is associated "with greatly sinful acts about fundamental questions like abortion and marriage, his repentance must also be public."

    Politics 2009

  • With obvious reference to the Kennedy funeral, he argued that when a politician is associated "with greatly sinful acts about fundamental questions like abortion and marriage, his repentance must also be public."

    Life Issues 2009

  • Yes, nothing says a politician is a crook like having their own PAC.

    Romney PAC raises $1.6M in six months 2009

  • With obvious reference to the Kennedy funeral, he argued that when a politician is associated "with greatly sinful acts about fundamental questions like abortion and marriage, his repentance must also be public."

    Abortion 2009

  • With obvious reference to the Kennedy funeral, he argued that when a politician is associated "with greatly sinful acts about fundamental questions like abortion and marriage, his repentance must also be public."

    Insight Scoop | The Ignatius Press Blog: 2009

  • With obvious reference to the Kennedy funeral, he argued that when a politician is associated "with greatly sinful acts about fundamental questions like abortion and marriage, his repentance must also be public."

    Culture of Death 2009

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