centrist
or Cen·trist
[sen-trist]
- (especially in continental Europe) a member of a political party of the Center; moderate.
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- of or relating to centrists or to their political views; middle-of-the-road.
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Origin of centrist
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for centrist
Contemporary Examples
Another dark horse, Tennessee Senator Al Gore, was finding little traction in his efforts to become a centrist alternative.
The centrist group thinks they can build centrist grassroots army.
He is running as a centrist alternative to Tea Party-aligned GOP candidate Ben Sasse and Democrat Dave Domina, a trial lawyer.
Last month, the centrist Democratic group Third Way released a study called “The State of the Center.”
Conservatives Are So Conservative They Think the Congressional GOP Are Moderate SquishesMichael Tomasky
June 13, 2014
Webb believes he is just the sort of centrist leader who can break the Democrat-Republican stalemate in Washington.
Historical Examples
Only on one of the Centrist benches was any sincere attention paid, like that of eager scholars to their master's explanations.
The conquest of RomeMatilde Serao
Besides, Sid and I were the centrist party of two in our fresh-out-of-the-shell Place politics.
The Big TimeFritz Reuter Leiber
centrist
- a person holding moderate political views
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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
Word Origin and History for centrist
n.
1872, from French centriste, from centre (see center (n.)). Originally in English with reference to French politics; general application to other political situations is from 1890.
Where M. St. Hilaire is seen to most advantage, however, is when quietly nursing one of that weak-kneed congregation who sit in the middle of the House, and call themselves "Centrists." A French Centrist is--exceptis eoccipiendis--a man who has never been able to make up his mind, nor is likely to. ["Men of the Third Republic," London, 1873]
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper