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

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

"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

Scott Straus, who chairs Berkeley’s political science department, likened the new institute to a sort of West Coast version of Harvard’s Kennedy School.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026

"I couldn't concentrate at all," said the 21-year-old who is studying political science while preparing for government examinations.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

“No. Comparative politics. You can't do just Africa in political science graduate programs in this country. You can compare Africa to Poland or Israel but focusing on Africa itself? They don't let you do that.”

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• civics