Meaning of fourth estate | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A hypothetical fourth class of civic subjects, or fourth body (in Britain, after the Crown, and the two Houses of Parliament) which governed legislation.
   obsolete
2. Journalism or journalists considered as a group; the press.
   idiomatic

Equivalents

Examples

“What is more barbarous than to see⟳ a nation […] where justice is lawfully denied him, that hath not wherewithall to pay⟳ for it; and that this merchandize hath so great credit, that in a politicall government there should be set⟳ up a fourth estate [tr. quatriesme estat] of Lawyers, breathsellers and pettifoggers […]”

““Of what profession is Mr. Archer?” “Of the Corporation of the Goosequill—of the Press⟳, my boy,” said Warrington; “of the fourth estate.””

“The fourth estate is a term to describe⟳ the power that journalists and news media have⟳ to keep⟳ the powers of government in check by informing the citizens. The way citizens have⟳ received news and information has always evolved, but throughout that whole time, having an informed audience was seen as a necessity to a functioning democracy. The newspaper itself has been dying for a while, even before social media, all thanks to 24-hour news.”

CEFR level