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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

“People are looking at what’s next,” said the politico.

From Slate ● Dec. 15, 2025

One politico who lives in the district noted that two McOskers separately knocked on his door and a third called him as part of a phone banking operation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 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

"A public excitement is a powerful engine, Mr. Effingham!" he exclaimed, in a sort of politico pious horror.

From Home as Found by James Fenimore Cooper

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 Bertram Lenox Simpson

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 James MacCaffrey

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 John Lothrop Motley

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 Arnold Bennett

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 Bertram Lenox Simpson

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 novel is plainly an allegory for America’s current fraught moment, but it’s also a lively neo-noir filled with tough-talking detectives, politicos and journalists, and rife with canny plot twists.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 10, 2024

That category makes sense, but maybe only to journalists and politicos.

From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2024

Later, he had changed it himself, for he had found the name of Fernandez hated by prefects of police, jefes politicos, and rurales.

From The Night-Born by Jack London