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

Etymology

Origin of political science

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

political science

Taisiia Obod, a 21-year-old political science student, also hoped Fedorov would remain "within government" and that momentum for his "reforms and initiatives" would be maintained.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

Greta is a recent graduate of Stanford University, where she studied political science and served as the editor in chief of the Stanford Daily.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026

She attended Brandeis University, where she majored in political science and performed in musicals and cabaret.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

"It's a year of pressures on Canadian national unity," said André Lecours, a political science professor at the University of Ottawa.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

She was one of my favorite teachers, a tiny dark passionate woman with circles under her eyes who taught political science.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

Related Words

• civics