geopolitics

noun

geo·​pol·​i·​tics ˌjē-ō-ˈpä-lə-ˌtiks How to pronounce geopolitics (audio)
plural in form but singular in construction
1
: a study of the influence of such factors as geography, economics, and demography on the politics and especially the foreign policy of a state
2
: a governmental policy guided by geopolitics
3
: a combination of political and geographic factors relating to something (such as a state or particular resources)
the geopolitics of oil
geopolitical adjective
geopolitically adverb

Word History

Etymology

see geo-

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of geopolitics was in 1904

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Cite this Entry

“Geopolitics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/geopolitics. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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