Word
pundit
Phoneticspun·dit, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpəndət/
UK/pˈʌndɪt/
Definitions
01media commentator
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. someone who is an expert in a subject and talks about it on the news or in magazines.
n. an expert in a specific field who is frequently called upon to provide commentary or analysis in mass media.
“The political pundit explained why the election results were so surprising.”
“Economic pundits spent the evening debating whether the central bank's decision would actually curb inflation in the long term.”
Synonyms
02Hindu scholar
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Religion Formal
n. a person in India who is a great scholar of philosophy, religion, or law.
n. a learned person in India, specifically a Hindu scholar well-versed in Sanskrit, law, and philosophy.
Español:pándit
“The village pundit was respected by everyone for his deep knowledge of ancient texts.”
“The research paper explores the role of the pundit in maintaining traditional legal interpretations during the eighteenth century.”
03historical surveyor
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic
n. a person from India who was trained to secretly map and explore areas for the British long ago.
n. a native surveyor in British India trained to perform clandestine geographical surveillance in regions beyond the frontier.
“The pundit traveled in disguise to map the mountain passes for the army.”
“Nineteenth-century pundits played a crucial role in the Great Game, mapping vast stretches of Central Asia under the guise of pilgrims.”
Real-World Examples
“For years, politicians and pundits opposed to the Ulez have cynically sought to turn questions of public health into a crude culture war.” “I think too many pundits on the left and right fall into the habit of confusing or conflating the fortunes of a party with that of their philosophy.” 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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/pundit
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0