pundit
/ˈpʌn.dɪt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.06 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An expert in a particular field, especially as called upon to provide comment or opinion in the media; a commentator, a critic.
noun
A learned person in India; someone with knowledge of Sanskrit, philosophy, religion and law; a Hindu scholar.
noun
A native surveyor in British India, trained to carry out clandestine surveillance beyond British borders.
Example Sentences
- "This week we introduce Jenny Walker, who will be The Observer's expert pundit for the duration of the World Cup."
- "Pundits in black gowns, with spectacles on their noses and undigested wisdom in their insides; bearded headmen of the wards; [...] all these people and more also you might find in the white room."
- "At every hundredth pace the Pundit would automatically slip one bead. Each complete circuit of the rosary thus represented ten thousand paces."
Etymology
Etymology tree Sanskrit पण्डा (paṇḍā) Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-Iranian *-tás Sanskrit -इत (-ita) Sanskrit पण्डित (paṇḍita)bor. Hindi पंडित (paṇḍit)bor. Urdu پَنْڈِٹ (panḍiṭ)bor. English pundit Borrowed from Hindi पंडित (paṇḍit) / Urdu پنڈت (panḍit), from Sanskrit पण्डित (paṇḍita, “scholar, learned man, teacher, philosopher”). Doublet of pandit.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: पंडित, پنڈت, पण्डित
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈpʌn.dɪt/
- British English: /ˈpʌn.dɪt/