Machiavelli
Machiavelli (noun) means a person who schemes and manipulates others cunningly and without moral scruple, in order to gain or hold power. Example: “Colleagues called him a real Machiavelli for how he outmanoeuvred every rival for the promotion.”
How to Use Machiavelli
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUsed as a common noun for someone who behaves like the historical Machiavelli — calculating, manipulative, and focused purely on gaining power.
Word Forms
Machiavellis plural
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Colleagues called him a real _____ for how he outmanoeuvred every rival for the promotion.
Etymology
From Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), the Italian political writer whose book The Prince argued that rulers may need to use ruthless, unscrupulous methods to gain and keep power.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for Machiavelli
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What does “Machiavelli” mean?
The word “Machiavelli” means a person who schemes and manipulates others cunningly and without moral scruple, in order to gain or hold power. In plain terms, used as a common noun for someone who behaves like the historical Machiavelli — calculating, manipulative, and focused purely on gaining power.
How do you use “Machiavelli” in a sentence?
Here is “Machiavelli” used in a sentence: “Colleagues called him a real Machiavelli for how he outmanoeuvred every rival for the promotion.”
What part of speech is “Machiavelli”?
“Machiavelli” is a noun.
Where does the word “Machiavelli” come from?
The word “Machiavelli” dates back to around 1469 and comes from Italian. From Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), the Italian political writer whose book The Prince argued that rulers may need to use ruthless, unscrupulous methods to gain and keep power.
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