politician

politician
    n 1: a leader engaged in civil administration
    2: a person active in party politics [syn: {politician},
       {politico}, {pol}, {political leader}]
    3: a schemer who tries to gain advantage in an organization in
       sly or underhanded ways
    

Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, n. [Cf. F. politicien.]
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   1. One versed or experienced in the science of government;
      one devoted to politics; a statesman.
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            While empiric politicians use deceit. --Dryden.
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   2. One primarily devoted to his own advancement in public
      office, or to the success of a political party; -- used in
      a depreciatory sense; one addicted or attached to politics
      as managed by parties (see {Politics}, 2); a schemer; an
      intriguer; as, a mere politician.
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            Like a scurvy politician, seem
            To see the things thou dost not.      --Shak.
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            The politician . . . ready to do anything that he
            apprehends for his advantage.         --South.
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Politician \Pol`i*ti"cian\, a.
   Cunning; using artifice; politic; artful. "Ill-meaning
   politician lords." --Milton.
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POLITICIAN, n.  An eel in the fundamental mud upon which the
superstructure of organized society is reared.  When we wriggles he
mistakes the agitation of his tail for the trembling of the edifice. 
As compared with the statesman, he suffers the disadvantage of being
alive.
    

59 Moby Thesaurus words for "politician":
      Admirable Crichton, MP, Machiavel, Machiavellian, Machiavellianist,
      Member of Parliament, adept, administrator, artisan, artist,
      attache, authority, bureaucrat, civil servant, congressman,
      congresswoman, connaisseur, connoisseur, consultant, cordon bleu,
      crack shot, craftsman, dead shot, diplomat, diplomatist,
      elder statesman, experienced hand, expert, expert consultant,
      graduate, handy man, influence peddler, journeyman, lawmaker,
      legislator, machine politician, marksman, minister, no slouch,
      office-bearer, official, political hack, political realist,
      power broker, pro, professional, professor, proficient,
      public servant, representative, savant, selectman, senator, shark,
      sharp, statesman, stateswoman, technical adviser, technician