Machiavellian
Attempting to achieve goals by cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous methods, especially…Attempting to achieve goals by cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous methods, especially in politics.
» Your enemies know machiavellian politics.
Meaning
2 sensesAttempting to achieve goals by cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous methods, especially in politics.
Iago is the Machiavellian antagonist in William Shakespeare's play Othello.
machiavellistisch
макиавеллистическийmakiavellističeskij
Related to the philosophical system of Niccolò Machiavelli.
макиавеллистическийmakiavellističeskij
- of or relating to Machiavelli or the principles of conduct he recommended
Examples
3 sentencesYour enemies know machiavellian politics.
Tom is a very Machiavellian person.
Was Machiavelli really that Machiavellian?
Translations
6 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From Machiavelli + -an, from the name of the Italian statesman and writer Niccolò MachiaveFrom 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.
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Forms
more Machiavellian, most Machiavellian| Comparative | more Machiavellian Lesson |
|---|---|
| Superlative | most Machiavellian Lesson |
regular
Synonyms
2 synonymsLessons for this word
2 lessons- A2Comparatives — Because it has a comparative form
- A2Superlatives — Because it has a superlative form