Stakeholder

noun

/ˈsteɪkˌhəʊl.dər/

A person, group, or organisation with a legitimate interest in or who is affected by the decisions, actions, or outcomes of a particular activity, project, or policy.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Any durable model of participatory governance must move beyond mere consultation to embed every stakeholder, from marginalised tribal communities to local self-governments, as a genuine co-author of the policies that shape their lives.

Synonyms

interested partyparticipantshareholderpartyplayerbeneficiary

Antonyms

bystanderoutsidernon-participant

🌱 Word Family

stakeholder (n), stakeholders (n pl), stakeholding (n), stakeholder-driven (adj)

🔡 Root

Coined/Modern: English compound stake (wager, interest) + holder (one who holds); modern sense from 1965

📜 Etymology

From stake + holder; first recorded in 1708 meaning "one with whom bets are deposited," the modern sense of "one who has an interest in something" emerged by 1965.

🧠 Memory Hook

Picture someone who has driven a STAKE into the ground to claim a plot, and now HOLDS it: a "stake-holder" has planted a personal interest in the outcome and will not let go.

🧭 Ethics & Integrity 📖 Seen in: Ethical Thinkers & Case Studies for UP...

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