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• politico
  politico

  noun

  a politician.
• politico-
  politico-

  a combining form representing political in compound words.

politico

¹ American  

[puh-lit-i-koh] / pəˈlɪt ɪˌkoʊ /

noun

politicos plural

1. a politician.

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politico- ² American  

1. a combining form representing political in compound words.

   politico-religious.

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politico- ¹ British  

combining form

1. denoting political or politics

   politicoeconomic

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politico ² British  

/ pəˈlɪtɪˌkəʊ /

noun

1. an informal word for a politician politician

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Usage

What does politico mean? Politico is an informal word for a politician—a person who holds or is seeking political office as an elected government official. Like the word politician, politico is most commonly used in the context of politicians campaigning, giving speeches, and promoting themselves, as opposed to the activities that they do as part of being a government official—voting, debating issues, and working to find solutions to problems (in which case a politician might be called a representative or officeholder—or a legislator or lawmaker, if they work in a lawmaking capacity). Politico is especially used to refer to a long-term politician who’s experienced in making political deals or exchanging political favors. For that reason, it’s often used in a negative way, such as to refer to politicians who are considered members of the establishment. The informal term pol can be used to mean the same thing. Example: We should be focusing on real issues instead of listening to endless rhetoric from politicos and pundits.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• politicos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of politico

1620–30; < Italian or Spanish

Explanation

Someone who's involved in politics can be called a politico. If you're managing your friend's campaign for school president while simultaneously running for school treasurer, you're a bit of a politico. Politico is basically an informal way to say "politician," although the term also includes people who follow politics or act behind the scenes in the political arena. It's often used in a fairly negative way: "Those politicos will use any dirty tricks to get their guy elected." Politico is originally a Spanish word meaning "political."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

politico politico- politicos

Paul Weyrich, a Catholic and Republican politico, approached evangelical minister Jerry Falwell about creating a new political organization.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026

The same goes for his acumen as a politico.

From Slate ● Sep. 10, 2025

Critics of Fugate’s appointment stress that their anger isn’t directed at an aspiring politico enjoying a whirlwind entry to Washington.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2025

“He saw a young Latino in South L.A. and put me there as a test,” Nuño said, without naming the politico.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2024

The prefecto of Uruapan and jefe politico of the district is the son-in-law of Governor Mercado, and to him we bore a special letter from his father-in-law.

From In Indian Mexico (1908) by Starr, Frederick

To the politico- literary weeklies, Saturday Review, Speaker, and Spectator, the aspirant need not turn her ambitious eye.

From Journalism for Women A Practical Guide by Bennett, Arnold

It was the same eternal story, the same terrible two-edged weapon, "Cujus reggio ejus religio," found in the arsenal of the first Reformers, and in every politico- religious arsenal of history.

From Life and Death of John of Barneveld, Advocate of Holland : with a view of the primary causes and movements of the Thirty Years' War, 1609-14 by Motley, John Lothrop

In reality, the office of emperor was never more than a politico- religious concept, translated for the benefit of the masses into socio-economic ordinances.

From The Fight for the Republic in China by Simpson, Bertram Lenox

The eighteenth century was a period of transition from the politico- religious views of the Middle Ages to those of modern times.

From History of the Catholic Church from the Renaissance to the French Revolution — Volume 1 by MacCaffrey, James

When we reach Group III we touch matters that are not only immediately vital but quite new in their type of audacity and which every one can to-day understand since they are politico- industrial.

From The Fight for the Republic in China by Simpson, Bertram Lenox

That Epstein’s crimes were confined to himself and a few enablers, chiefly Ghislaine Maxwell, was intolerable to influencers and politicos determined to attribute all bad things to the dark workings of cabals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 11, 2026

Instead, the list was mostly royals, tech and finance executives, and politicos from both sides of the Atlantic.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2025

The George Washington High School Marching Band played, and long-time San Francisco politicos, dressed in their election day best, worked the crowd and posed for photos.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2024

When we talked earlier this year, I said that politicos should be planning for low-probability events this election cycle.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2024

He talked about the politicos, about their ideas, about the gossip which followed them in their careers.

From The Five Arrows by Chase, Allan