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fourth estate

Which governed legislation.

Etymology:

  • The three 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. 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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Submitted on September 01, 2009

Additional definitions for 'fourth estate':

fourth estateJournalism or journalists considered as a group; the Press.
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