Caucus
/ˈkɔːkəs/
Definitions
A meeting of members of a political party, typically to select candidates or plan strategy.
/ˈkɔːkəs/
A private meeting of members of a political party to select candidates or decide on policy.
The party held a caucus to decide on their platform.
💡 Simply: A secret meeting of a political group to make decisions.
👶 For kids: A meeting where grown-ups from the same team talk quietly about who to choose.
More Examples
Several caucuses were held before the election.
How It's Used
"The Democratic caucus met to endorse a candidate for the upcoming election."
From Algonquian languages, possibly from a word meaning 'to consult'. It originally referred to a private meeting of Native American tribal leaders, later adopted by US political groups.
The term's usage in American politics dates back to the early 18th century.
Memory tip
Think 'caw-cus' - birds cawing together to plan their next move.