centrist

American  

[sen-trist] / ˈsɛn trɪst /

Or Centrist

noun

1. (especially in continental Europe) a member of a political party of the Center; moderate.

---

adjective

1. of or relating to centrists or to their political views; middle-of-the-road.

centrist British  

/ ˈsɛntrɪst /

noun

1. a person holding moderate political views

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• centrism
  noun

Etymology

Origin of centrist

From the French word centriste, dating back to 1870–75; see center, -ist

Explanation

A centrist is someone who has very moderate political views. Most centrists are against any big political shifts — either to the left or to the right. Some politicians like to describe themselves as centrists because it makes them sound very reasonable and balanced. In reality, centrists are rare in politics, since people tend to have strong opinions about issues including taxes, the size of government, and inequality. Centrist comes from the French centriste, ultimately from the Latin centrum, "center."

Related Words

• mainstreamer
• middle-of-the-roader
• moderatist