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.
Finding negative angles about the club seems often to be a sport in itself, particularly among provocative ex-player pundits for whom criticism is currency. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025 The best actress race is often considered one of the toughest races to win, including in recent years when Oscar pundits were split on whether Michelle Yeoh or Cate Blanchett would win in 2023. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025 Conservative pundit Megyn Kelly, who also was at the Super Bowl, sitting between Trump and Swift’s luxury boxes, confirmed the different reactions to Swift and Trump on her blog. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025 Former England international and current CBS pundit Jamie Carragher blasted the City fans for mocking one of the best players in the world. Ben Church, CNN, 12 Feb. 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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Cite this Entry

“Pundit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pundit. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

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