Definitions for machiavellianˌmæk i əˈvɛl i ən

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Random House Webster's College Dictionary

Mach•i•a•vel•li•anˌmæk i əˈvɛl i ən(adj.)

  1. of or pertaining to Machiavelli.

    Category: Western History

  2. being or acting in accordance with the principles of government analyzed in Machiavelli's The Prince, in which political expediency is placed above morality.

    Category: Western History

  3. characterized by unscrupulous cunning, deception, or expediency.

    Category: Western History

  4. (n.)a follower of Machiavelli's principles.

    Category: Western History

Origin of Machiavellian:

1560–70

Mach`i•a•vel′li•an•ism(n.)

Mach`i•a•vel′lism(n.)

Princeton's WordNet

  1. Machiavellian(adj)

    a follower of Machiavelli's principles

  2. Machiavellian(adj)

    of or relating to Machiavelli or the principles of conduct he recommended

    "Machiavellian thinking"

Wiktionary

  1. Machiavellian(Noun)

    A ruthless schemer.

  2. Machiavellian(Adjective)

    Attempting to achieve their goals by cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous methods.

    Iago is the Machiavellian antagonist in William Shakespeare's play, Othello.

  3. Machiavellian(Adjective)

    Related to the philosophical system of Niccolu00F2 Machiavelli.

  4. Origin: 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.


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