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realpolitik - 4 dictionary results

re⋅al⋅po⋅li⋅tik

  [rey-ahl-poh-li-teek, ree-]
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–noun
political realism or practical politics, esp. policy based on power rather than on ideals.
Also, Re⋅al⋅po⋅li⋅tik.

Origin:
1910–15; < G, equiv. to real real 1 + Politik politics, policy; see politic

Related forms:
re⋅al⋅po⋅li⋅tik⋅er,  [rey-ahl-poh-lee-ti-ker, ree-] , noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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re·al·po·li·tik   (rā-äl'pō'lĭ-tēk')   
n.  A usually expansionist national policy having as its sole principle advancement of the national interest.

[German : real, practical (from Late Latin reālis, real; see real1) + Politik, politics (from French politique, political, policy; see politic).]
re·al'po'li·tik'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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realpolitik [(ray-ahl-poh-li-teek)]

Governmental policies based on hard, practical considerations rather than on moral or idealistic concerns. Realpolitik is German for “the politics of reality” and is often applied to the policies of nations that consider only their own interests in dealing with other countries.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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realpolitik 
1914, from Ger., lit. "practical politics."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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