A.Word.A.Day --realpolitik

A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact

Home

Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

realpolitik

PRONUNCIATION:

(ray-AHL-paw-li-teek, ree-)

MEANING:

noun: Politics guided by practical considerations, instead of principles or ethics.

ETYMOLOGY:

From German Realpolitik, from real (real, practical) + politik (politics).

USAGE:

"Also gone is Sarkozy's former mocking of realpolitik as a political cop-out of cynical diplomats without principles."
Bruce Crumley; Why France is Selling Warships to Russia; Time (New York); Mar 3, 2010.

"Under the strongman Soeharto and Cold War realpolitik pragmatism, Indonesia received large scale US military support that leapfrogged its defense capability among its Southeast Asian neighbors, despite widespread criticism from international civil rights groups."
Ristian Atriandi; Rethinking RI-US Military Ties; The Jakarta Post (Indonesia); Mar 17, 2010.

See more usage examples of realpolitik in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Poisons and medicine are oftentimes the same substance given with different intents. -Peter Mere Latham, physician and educator (1789-1875)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise