punditocracy
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of punditocracy
First recorded in 1985–90; pundit ( def. ) + -o- ( def. ) + -cracy ( def. )
Explanation
The punditocracy is a powerful, influential group of professional commentators, journalists, and media personalities who help shape public opinion and political discourse. The word punditocracy is a portmanteau of pundit, which comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "learned man or teacher," and -ocracy, a word ending that indicates a form of government or a ruling class. So literally, the word would mean "rule by the learned." In modern times, however, pundits usually refers to "media experts" whom you might watch discussing topics on 24-hour news channels or listen to on podcasts. The term punditocracy is often used pejoratively to describe this group of "talking heads" who exert significant political power and societal influence.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Should he disappear back into the football punditocracy, O'Neill will bid Celtic farewell with his reputation as a club legend enhanced.
From BBC ● Nov. 30, 2025
Still, Beck has never regained his place near the top of the conservative punditocracy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 26, 2023
In English soccer’s ever-voluble punditocracy, its content-industrial complex, some saw him as a “diamond.”
From New York Times ● Mar. 26, 2021
It’s not just the babbling punditocracy that’s been caught with its pants down this election cycle.
From Salon ● Feb. 6, 2016
“Do English punditocracy and football writers know that they come across as world class ding-dongs when analysing football games through Mourinho’s body language and potential and real handshakes?” asks Sasu Laaksonen.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 19, 2015
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
