roorback

or roor·bach

[ roor-bak ]

noun

1. a false and more or less damaging report circulated for political effect, usually about a candidate seeking an office.

roorback

/ ˈrʊəˌbæk /

noun

1. a false or distorted report or account, used to obtain political advantage

Word History and Origins

Origin of roorback¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1844, after a fictitious Baron von Roorback, in whose travelogue occurred an account of an incident damaging to the character of James K. Polk

Word History and Origins

Origin of roorback¹

C19: after Baron von Roorback , invented author of an imaginary Tour through the Western and Southern States (1844), which contained a passage defaming James K. Polk