pundit

1 of 2

noun (1)

pun·​dit ˈpən-dət 

1

: pandit

2

: a learned person : teacher

3

: a person who gives opinions in an authoritative manner usually through the mass media : critic

punditry

ˈpən-də-trē 

noun

punditry

2 of 2

noun (2)

pun·​dit·​ry ˈpəndə̇trē 

plural -es

: the learning, methods, or pronouncements of pundits

Did you know?

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.

Synonyms of pundit

Noun (1)

• scholar

Examples of pundit in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a moral question that has puzzled the pundits throughout the ages

the new mini laptop has gotten a thumbs-up from industry pundits

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Not many pundits believe the Dolphins can beat the 49ers — or even hang close. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026

The sports-and-culture pundits of Los Angeles and New York marveled with shock and puzzlement at how such a flamboyant character could be so embraced by the hardscrabble, blue-collar, industrial Midwestern fanbase of the Bulls. — Will Kamin, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026

One wonders what these pundits would have thought about microchips and data centers. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2026

But with training camp 12 days away, there’s an interesting dynamic in play with the Heat, with sentiment among several former players, popular pundits and Las Vegas sportsbooks giving Miami absolutely no benefit of any doubt. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Hindi paṇḍit, from Sanskrit paṇḍita, from paṇḍita learned

Noun (2)

pundit + -ry

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pundit

• pandit