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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
Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 10 Jan. 2025
The Liberal Party national executive, which decides on leadership issues, is set to meet this week, likely after the Wednesday caucus meeting.
—Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
Emily Hallas, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 29 Dec. 2024
Democrats currently hold the majority with 51 seats in the upper chamber, which includes four independent senators who caucus with them.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 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 18 Jan. 2025.
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caucus
noun
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