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It’s no hot take to say that the original pundits were highly learned scholars and teachers in India; it’s just a statement of fact. Our English word pundit comes from the Hindi word paṇḍit, a term of respect (and sometimes an honorary title) for a wise person, especially one with knowledge of philosophy, religion, and law; its ultimate source is the Sanskrit word paṇḍita, meaning “learned.” English speakers have used pundit to refer to sages of India since the 1600s, but as is typically done with English, they eventually pushed the word into new semantic territory. By the late 1800s, pundit could also refer to a member of what is sometimes called the commentariat or punditocracy—that is, the collective group of political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists often paid to share their views on a variety of subjects.
Examples of pundit in a Sentence
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 18 July 2025
His sentiment echoed the criticism of major Republican pundits.
—Cate Charron, IndyStar, 17 July 2025
Soon, lawmakers, pundits and pro-Israel activists were making the same point and pressing Columbia to make changes.
—Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 15 July 2025
In the leadup to Sunday’s MLB Draft, many pundits will note the Holliday family’s deep baseball ties.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pundit
Cite this Entry
“Pundit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pundit. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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