Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Journalists considered as a group; the public press.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun obsolete A hypothetical fourth class of civic subjects, or fourth body (in Britain, after the Crown, and the two Houses of Parliament) which governed legislation.
- noun idiomatic
Journalism orjournalists considered as a group; the Press.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun the press, including journalists, newspaper writers, photographers
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
The three (in England) estates were originally the three classes of people who could participate in government, either directly or by electing representatives – originally the clergy, barons/knights, and the commons (though they changed over time). Later the "three estates" were misunderstood as being the three governmental powers necessary for legislation: the Crown, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons; from there, the idea of a "fourth estate" was often used in satirical or jocular expressions, before developing a fixed association with the Press.
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Examples
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sonofgroucho commented on the word fourth estate
I know I should know, but remind me what the other three are, please!
December 10, 2007
kewpid commented on the word fourth estate
The clergy, the nobles, and the commoners.
December 10, 2007
john commented on the word fourth estate
Could there be a list here--numbered groups? The first world, the fifth column, seventh heaven...
December 10, 2007
reesetee commented on the word fourth estate
Funny you should ask that, John. :-)
December 11, 2007