A pundit is a learned person or an expert who gives authoritative opinions, especially in the media. The term originates from Indian teachers and now often refers to commentators and analysts.
Pundit (noun) refers to a learned person or someone who gives opinions authoritatively, often in the media. The term originated from respected Indian teachers and has evolved to describe informed opinion-makers.
| Word | pundit |
|---|---|
| Date | January 24, 2016 |
| Type | noun |
| Syllables | PUN-dit |
| Etymology | The original pundits were highly respected teachers and leaders in India. Their title was taken from the Hindi word paṇḍit, a term of respect for a wise person that itself derives from the Sanskrit paṇḍita, meaning "learned." English speakers began using the form pundit specifically to refer to those Hindu sages as long ago as the 1600s. By the 1800s, they had also extended the term to refer to other sagacious individuals, and now pundit is often used with a hint of sarcasm to refer to informed opinion makers (such as political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists) who boldly share their views (sometimes at great length) on just about any subject that lies within their areas of expertise. |
| Examples | Grandpa likes watching liberal and conservative pundits spar about the issues of the day on the Sunday morning talk shows. "But in general, pundits and analysts tend to overestimate the potential for early-state victories to catapult candidates to the nomination." — Nate Cohn, The New York Times, 22 Dec. 2015 |
| Definition | 1 : a learned person : teacher 2 : a person who gives opinions in an authoritative manner usually through the mass media : critic |
Tags: wordoftheday::noun
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