Standard Lemma guide

clientelism

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: [klaɪ.n̩ˈtɛl.ɪ.zm̩]
  • Received-Pronunciation: [kliː.ɒnˈtɛl.ɪ.zm̩]
  • Canada, General-American: [klaɪ.ənˈtɛl.ɪ.zm̩]
  • Canada, General-American: [klaɪ.n̩ˈtɛl.ɪ.zm̩]
  • Australian: [klɑɪ.n̩ˈtel.ɪ.zm̩]
  • Australian: [kliː.n̩ˈtel.ɪ.zm̩]

1

noun

Meaning 1

A political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From clientele + -ism.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Asturian: clientelismu — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits
  • Chinese Mandarin: 侍從主義 /侍从主义 — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits
  • Chinese Mandarin: 庇护主义 — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits
  • Chinese Mandarin: 庇護主義 /庇护主义 — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits
  • Czech: klientelismus — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits
  • French: clientélisme — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits
  • Georgian: კლიენტელიზმი (ḳlienṭelizmi) — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits
  • Italian: clientelismo — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits
  • Spanish: clientelismo — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits
  • Swedish: klientelism — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits
  • Swedish: svågerpolitik — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits
  • Swedish: vänskapskorruption — a political system based on personal relations rather than personal merits