machiavellian

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: Mach=i=a=vel=li=an

CIDE DICTIONARY

machiavellian, a. [From Machiavel (also called Machiavelli), an Italian writer, secretary and historiographer to the republic of Florence.].

 Of or pertaining to Machiavelli, or to his supposed principles for conduct of government, as enunciated in his tract The Prince; politically cunning; characterized by duplicity, political expediency, unscrupulous cunning, or bad faith; crafty.  [1913 Webster]

machiavellian, n. 

 One who adopts the principles of Machiavelli; a cunning and unprincipled politician.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

machiavellian, adj. elaborately cunning; scheming, unscrupulous.

Derivative

machiavellianism n.

Etymology

N. dei Machiavelli, Florentine statesman and political writer d. 1527, who advocated resort to morally questionable methods in the interests of the State

THESAURUS

machiavellian

Artful Dodger, Byzantine, Casanova, Don Juan, Machiavel, Machiavelli, Machiavellianist, Machiavellic, actor, acute, ambidextrous, arch, artful, astute, bamboozler, befuddler, beguiler, behind-the-scenes operator, cagey, calculating, canny, charmer, clever, coconspirator, collusive, connivent, conniver, conniving, conspirator, conspirer, conspiring, contriving, counterfeiter, counterplotter, crafty, crooked, cunning, cute, deceitful, deceiver, deep, deep-laid, deluder, designing, diplomat, diplomatic, diplomatist, dishonest, dissembler, dissimulator, dodger, double, double-dealer, double-dealing, double-faced, double-minded, double-tongued, doublehearted, duper, duplicitous, eminence grise, enchanter, entrancer, exploiter, faithless, faker, false, false-principled, falsehearted, feline, finagler, fooler, forger, foxy, gamesman, gay deceiver, gray eminence, guileful, hoaxer, hypnotizer, influence peddler, ingenious, insidious, intrigant, intriguer, intriguing, inventive, jilt, jilter, joker, jokester, kidder, kingmaker, knowing, leg-puller, logroller, machinator, maneuverer, mesmerizer, misleader, operator, opportunist, pawky, perfidious, plagiarist, plagiarizer, playactor, plotter, plotting, politic, political realist, politician, pork-barrel politician, power broker, practical joker, ragger, ready, resourceful, role-player, schemer, scheming, seducer, serpentine, sharp, shifty, shrewd, slick, slippery, sly, smooth, snaky, sneaky, sophistical, spoofer, stealthy, stratagemical, strategic, strategist, subtile, subtle, supple, tactical, tease, teaser, treacherous, trickish, tricksy, tricky, two-faced, up to, vulpine, wary, wheeler-dealer, wily, wire-puller