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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
Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
The political pundit and comedian Russell Brand has been released on conditional bail until his hearing in London on May 30, the court has confirmed with NPR.
—Andrew Limbong, NPR, 2 May 2025
Read More on Trump’s 100 Days and Immigration: How the U.S. Betrayed International Students by Susan Thomas
The last piece of the puzzle is the economy—Trump’s economic message is the reason many pundits credit him for his gains with Hispanic males.
—Alejandro Puyana, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
The pundits looked overcome so no wonder players take time to understand it !
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 30 Apr. 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 13 May. 2025.
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