a statesman or stateswoman is a respected, skilled and experienced political leader or figure. in most respects a statesman is the opposite of a politician. politicians are thought of as people who will say or do anything to get elected or to gain power. a statesman is someone who does everything for the common good of the people he or she represents. to call a person a statesman is a mark of high regard for that person's integrity. to call someone a politician usually implies the person is worthy of very little esteem. for example, george washington is almost always called a statesman. an elder statesman is a term often defined as an older politician or advisor who is thought to be above normal politics.