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

Dave is a Pennsylvania native who studied visual journalism and political science at Penn State University.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 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

As a political science scholar who studies presidential power, I believe the unitary executive theory is perhaps the most contentious and consequential constitutional theory of the past several decades.

From Salon ● Jul. 1, 2026

Schickler, a political science professor and co-director of the Institute of Governmental Studies, will co-teach the Congress course with Pelosi beginning in spring 2027.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 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