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View synonyms for caucus

caucus

[ kaw-kuhs ]

noun

, plural cau·cus·es.
  1. U.S. Politics.
    1. a local meeting of party members to select candidates, elect convention delegates, etc.
    2. a meeting of party members within a legislative body to select leaders and determine strategy.
    3. Often Caucus. a faction within a legislative body that pursues its interests through the legislative process:

      the Women's Caucus; the Black Caucus.

  2. any group or meeting organized to further a special interest or cause.


verb (used without object)

  1. to hold or meet in a caucus.

verb (used with object)

  1. to bring up or hold for discussion in a caucus:

    The subject was caucused.

  2. to bring together or poll in a caucus:

    The paper caucused its new editorial board on Friday.

    The chairman caucused the water pollution committee before making recommendations.

caucus

/ ˈkɔːkəs /

noun

    1. a closed meeting of the members of one party in a legislative chamber, etc, to coordinate policy, choose candidates, etc
    2. such a bloc of politicians

      the Democratic caucus in Congress

    1. a group of leading politicians of one party
    2. a meeting of such a group
  1. a local meeting of party members
  2. a group or faction within a larger group, esp a political party, who discuss tactics, choose candidates, etc
  3. a group of MPs from one party who meet to discuss tactics, etc
  4. a formal meeting of all Members of Parliament belonging to one political party
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


verb

  1. intr to hold a caucus
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

caucus

  1. A meeting of members of a political party to nominate candidates, choose convention delegates, plan campaign tactics, determine party policy, or select leaders for a legislature.


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Word History and Origins

Origin of caucus1

An Americanism dating back to 1755–65; apparently first used in the name of the Caucus Club of colonial Boston; further origin uncertain; perhaps from Medieval Latin caucus “drinking vessel,” Late Latin caucum, from Greek kaûkos; perhaps from Virginia Algonquian Cawcawwassough “elders of the Chickahominy people”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of caucus1

C18: probably of Algonquian origin; related to caucauasu adviser
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Example Sentences

For the first nine months of 2019, Pelosi also stood firm against liberals’ calls to impeach the president, even after a majority of her caucus demanded his ouster – all in the name of her frontliners.

She reportedly urged her caucus members not to be a “cheap date.”

While she didn’t vote for the nuclear bailout bill at the heart of the Householder bribery scandal, 10 Democrats, more than a quarter of her caucus, did.

From Ozy

Alexander Dobrindt, the deputy caucus leader and a member of the Bavarian branch of Merkel’s bloc, demanded new EU sanctions against Russia.

From Fortune

The virtual caucus had 5,390 page views from 3,050 unique devices, a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee told the Blade.

Pat Robertson finished second in the 1988 Iowa caucus, and it was all downhill from there.

In 2008 and 2012, Huckabee and Santorum, respectively won the Iowa Caucus, but did not make it to the finish line.

Both are considered marginal figures in the House GOP caucus and have no real base of support for their respective bids.

Also this week, he keynoted a fundraiser for Progress Iowa, an influential liberal group in the first-in-the-nation caucus state.

The House caucus appears to be far more populist, feisty, and ready to push the debate on economic issues than it has in the past.

He represents that vast army of electors whom neither canvasser nor caucus has ever yet cajoled or bullied into a polling-booth.

On the night before the Freeport debate the question had also been considered in a hurried caucus of Lincoln's party friends.

At a signal from the President of the Senate, a military band hidden in one of the caucus rooms began to play the national anthem.

He had not taken his degrees in the caucus and in hack politics.

A caucus of imperial rulers was held at which the Emperor of Germany presided.

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