Politburo

American  

[pol-it-byoor-oh, poh-lit-, puh-lit-] / ˈpɒl ɪtˌbyʊər oʊ, ˈpoʊ lɪt-, pəˈlɪt- /

Or Politbureau

noun

1. (often lowercase) the executive committee and chief policymaking body of a Communist Party.

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Politburo British  

/ ˈpɒlɪtˌbjʊərəʊ /

noun

1. the executive and policy-making committee of a Communist Party

2. the supreme policy-making authority in most Communist countries

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politburo Cultural  

1. A commonly used name for those who made the major governmental decisions in the former Soviet Union. A politburo, in general, is the chief committee of a communist party.

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Etymology

Origin of Politburo

< Russian politbyuró, shortening of politícheskoe byuró political bureau

Example Sentences

Since then, he has missed a series of high-level events, including Politburo study sessions and other major political gatherings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 15, 2026

In 2017, Zhang was promoted to one of the CMC's vice chairman positions, also joining the Communist Party's elite body, the Politburo.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

Zhang also sits on the party's top decision-making body, the 24-person Politburo.

From BBC • Jan. 24, 2026

“In addition, new statements from the Politburo fuelled hopes of supportive economic measures.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025

KGB general Oleg Kalugin later wrote that the Soviet Politburo believed that Ames "has presented information of such value that he should be paid as much as possible."

From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau