political science

American  

noun

1. a social science dealing with political institutions and with the principles and conduct of government.

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political science British  

noun

1. (esp as an academic subject) the study of the state, government, and politics: one of the social sciences

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political science Cultural  

1. The systematic study of government and politics. Political science is a social science that makes generalizations and analyses about political systems and political behavior and uses these results to predict future behavior. Political science includes the study of political philosophy, ethics, international relations and foreign policy, public administration, and the dynamic relations between different parts of governments.

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Other Word Forms

• political scientist
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of political science

First recorded in 1770–80

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

political science

Thad Kousser, a UC-San Diego political science professor, said that electing election skeptics to office doesn’t necessarily mean that they will throw a wrench into the process.

From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026

Aurelian Craiutu, a professor of political science at Indiana University, asks his students, especially the ones inclined to radicalism, to ponder the virtues of moderation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

Bobby Pulido: I was a political science major in college.

From Slate ● Sep. 28, 2026

He is now 38 and living in exile in the Netherlands, where he was granted asylum, and is pursuing an MA in political science - following in his father's footsteps.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

I had a good visit with Dr. Shawarbi’s son, Muhammad Sha- warbi, a nineteen-year-old, who was studying economics and political science at Cairo University.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

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Related Words

• civics

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