Word
statesman
Phoneticsstates·man, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsteɪtsmən/
UK/stˈeɪtsmən/
Definitions
01respected political leader
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Politics Formal
n. a male political leader who is respected for being wise and fair, especially in international relations.
n. a male political leader who is distinguished by his wisdom, integrity, and skill in governing or international diplomacy.
“The retired president was seen as a great statesman who helped bring peace to the region.”
“He was widely regarded as a senior statesman, whose counsel was sought by leaders across the political spectrum during times of national crisis.”
Antonyms
02small landholder
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Dialect · Archaic
n. a man who owns and lives on a small piece of land.
n. a man who owns and occupies a small landed estate.
“The old statesman spent his days managing the small farm his family had owned for generations.”
“In the rural northern counties, the traditional statesman was a figure of independence, farming his own modest acreage without a landlord.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage
The term is often used as a title of respect for senior politicians who have retired from active partisan roles.
Real-World Examples
“During his tenure as France’s president, Emmanuel Macron has evolved from a political upstart to a senior statesman.” “FC Cincinnati center-back Miles Robinson, all of a sudden, has turned into the squad’s elder statesman, at 29 years old.” Etymology
From state + -s- + -man, modelled after French homme d'État.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADVERB
Domain
- 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
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/statesman