post-watergate
UK[ˌpəʊst ˈwɔːtəɡeɪt]US[ˌpoʊst ˈwɔːtərɡeɪt]
adj
Relating to or characteristic of the period following the Watergate scandal, especially regarding increased public cynicism toward government and politics.
adj
Denoting a heightened awareness or exposure of scandal and corruption in politics and institutions, inspired by the Watergate affair.
Morpheme Breakdown
post
watergate
post
after
watergate
a specific political scandal
Etymology
The term is a modern compound formed in the mid-1970s. The prefix "post-," of Latin origin, is productively used in English to denote periods coming after a significant event. "Watergate" originated as a geographical name for a complex but, through metonymy, became synonymous with the complex political scandal and its consequential investigations. The fusion "post-Watergate" thus lexically marks the historical and cultural shift in American society, defining an era characterized by heightened scrutiny of governmental authority, investigative journalism, and public distrust directly stemming from that watershed moment.
Analysis
Structure: post (after) + watergate (a specific political scandal)
- post: From Latin post ("after, behind"). A prefix indicating subsequence in time or order.
- watergate: From the name of the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., the site of the 1972 break-in that led to a major political scandal and the resignation of President Richard Nixon. It functions as a proper noun converted into a common noun meaning "a major political scandal involving cover-ups and abuse of power."
Examples
The post-Watergate era saw a series of reforms aimed at increasing governmental transparency.
That investigative report has a distinctly post-Watergate feel to it, relentlessly pursuing corruption at the highest levels.
Many journalists adopted a more adversarial, post-Watergate stance towards covering the presidency.