Did you know?
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact origins of caucus, but some scholars think the word may have developed from an Algonquian term for a group of elders, leaders, or advisers. An early example of the word in use comes from John Adams, who in February of 1763 reported that the Boston “caucus club,” a group of politically active city elders, would soon meet and that, at the meetings, those present would “smoke tobacco till you [could not] see from one end of the garret to the other.” A similarly opaque smoke screen seems to cloud the history of caucus to this day.
Examples of caucus in a Sentence
ABC News, 13 Apr. 2024
Dong quit the Liberal caucus last year and sits as an independent.
—Amanda Coletta, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
Additionally, the caucus is urging the governor and state government to create a memorial for the six Latino workers who were killed in the bridge collapse, Snowden said.
—Emi Tuyetnhi Tran, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2024
In court documents, Arthur Schwartz, an attorney who represents the dissident caucus, said that of the roughly 350 union members who voted, 60% favored having an officer election in June or July.
—Haleluya Hadero, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024
Donald Trump had just trounced Nikki Haley in the Iowa caucuses, all but securing the Republican nomination for president.
—Jonathan Mahler Edoardo Ballerini Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024
While some delegates are directly elected in primaries, most are selected well after, at congressional district and statewide caucus conventions or by party committees.
—Isabella Murray, ABC News, 28 Mar. 2024
Others were concerned about the lack of effectiveness of the caucus.
—Lawrence Andrea, Journal Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2024
The leader of the raucous caucus even says so himself.
—USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2024
Steve Peoples, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2024
On Tuesday, Assembly Democrats caucused to discuss their own early budget action plan.
—Lindsey Holden, Sacramento Bee, 4 Apr. 2024
By comparison, 75,000 Republican voters caucused in Nevada in 2016, but this year may look more like 2008 and 2012, when 44,000 and 33,000 Republicans participated, respectively.
—Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 5 Feb. 2024
Trump makes closing argument at New York fraud trial, disregarding judge's limits
Trump's legal, political calendars collide under a week before Iowa caucuses
More
In:
E. Jean Carroll
Donald Trump
Clare Hymes
Clare Hymes is an associate producer for the investigative unit at CBS News.
—Clare Hymes, CBS News, 16 Jan. 2024
Currently, the Senate has 48 Democrats, 49 Republicans and three independent members who caucus with Democrats, giving the Democrats a majority.
—Molly Bohannon, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024
But after a humbling meeting with the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, he was allowed to keep his Homeland Security Committee chairmanship and resumed caucusing with the party.
—Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2024
Iowa Caucus live updates:Donald Trump, Nikki Haley and other Republican hopefuls make their final push
Donald Trump is 'honored' by early call
Trump said he was honored by the early call, which came less than an hour after Iowans began caucusing.
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2024
In the primaries and caucuses Buchanan got less than a fourth of the votes and won no states.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 3 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'caucus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near caucus
Cite this Entry
“Caucus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caucus. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
caucus
noun
Share