English Explanatory Dictionary

Machiavellian

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Attempting to achieve goals by cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous methods, especially in politics.
  2. Related to the philosophical system of Niccolò Machiavelli.
noun
  1. An unscrupulous schemer.
adj
  1. Alternative form of Machiavellian.

Pronunciation

/ˌmæk.i.əˈvɛl.i.ən/ /ˌmæk.jəˈvɛl.i.ən/ /ˌmɑk.i.əˈvɛl.i.ən/ en-us-Machiavellian.ogg en-us-Machiavellian-2.ogg en-au-Machiavellian.ogg

Word forms

Machiavellian more Machiavellian most Machiavellian Machiavellians

Etymology

From Machiavelli + -an, from the name of the Italian statesman and writer Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527), whose work The Prince (1532) advises that acquiring and exercising power may require unethical methods.

Synonyms

Machiavellic Machiavellistic Machiavellianist Machiavellist Machiavel

Derived words

Machiavellianism Machiavellism Merkelvellian
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