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It’s hard to pinpoint the exact origins of caucus, but some scholars think the word may have developed from an Algonquian term for a group of elders, leaders, or advisers. An early example of the word in use comes from John Adams, who in February of 1763 reported that the Boston “caucus club,” a group of politically active city elders, would soon meet and that, at the meetings, those present would “smoke tobacco till you [could not] see from one end of the garret to the other.” A similarly opaque smoke screen seems to cloud the history of caucus to this day.
Examples of caucus in a Sentence
Richard Halstead, The Mercury News, 23 Dec. 2024
But even though about three dozen of the Democrats are on Burrows' list of supporters, a solid bloc of the minority party caucus opposes his candidacy.
—John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman, 20 Dec. 2024
Christina Wilkie, CNBC, 20 Dec. 2024
Rufo should know this, at which point someone who caucuses with the right should be pleased to keep his own, frequently laudatory views (there’s much that’s disagreeable about DEI, ESG and other acronyms) separate from government force at all levels.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near caucus
Cite this Entry
“Caucus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caucus. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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caucus
noun
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