intelligentsia JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU
/ɪntɛlɪˈd͡ʒɛntsɪə/ · in.tel.ig.en.tsi.a
noun
- The intellectual élite of a society, especially in 19th-century Poland, in Russia, and later the Soviet Union. The intelligentsia played a significant role in shaping the country's cultural and political landscape.
- A group of educated and cultured individuals who are influential in shaping public opinion and policy. The intelligentsia in the city were vocal about their opposition to the new development project.
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Did you know? The term 'intelligentsia' was popularized by the Russian writer and philosopher Nikolai Chernyshevsky, who used it in his novel 'What Is to Be Done?' (1863) to describe the educated and progressive elements of society.