caucus

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈkɔːkəs/ (UK); /ˈkɔkəs/, /ˈkɑkəs/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

An American English word of uncertain origin.^[2][3][4] It may come from the name of the Caucus Club of colonial Boston (1760s),^[5][6][3] perhaps from Medieval Latin caucus “drinking vessel”, from Greek kaûkos “cup”.^[5][6][3] Another suggestion is a Virginia Algonquian word caucauasu “elder, adviser”,^[4][3] which Random House considers less probable.^[6] The old guess caulkers' meeting is dismissed by the OED.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the United States, a private meeting of the leaders or members of a political party before an election, to choose candidates or agree on policy (1763).^[7][2][4][3] Barnhart records an earlier form Corcus from 1745.^[4]

Semantic evolution

The word was long a Boston cant term whose origin even contemporaries could not explain.^[3] In British newspapers from 1878 it was used, often opprobriously, of a party committee that tried to direct elections.^[7][5] In modern American usage it also names a group within a legislature organized to promote a particular interest.^[5][6][1] The verb is dated 1788 by Merriam-Webster (with caucusing attested then) and 1850 by Barnhart and Etymonline.^[2][3][4][7]

Timeline

• 1745 – Corcus.^[4]
• 1763 – a private meeting of party leaders.^[7][2][4][3]
• 1788 – caucusing; verb, to meet in a caucus.^[7][2][3]
• 1850 – verb, to control by caucuses.^[7][4]
• 1878 – (UK) a party committee directing elections.^[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A meeting of local members of a political party, especially to choose candidates or delegates to a convention.
2. A closed meeting of party members within a legislature to decide policy or leadership.
3. A group within a legislature or other body that promotes a particular interest.

Verb

1. To meet in or hold a caucus.

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
5. ^ a b c d The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
6. ^ a b c d Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
7. ^ a b c d e f g Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press