Mugwump Definition
mŭgwŭmp
noun
A person who acts independently or remains neutral, especially in politics.
American Heritage
A Republican who refused to support the party ticket in 1884
Webster's New World
Any independent, esp. in politics.
Webster's New World
(colloquial) An aloof or inconsequential person.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
- fencesitter
- independent
Other Word Forms of Mugwump
Noun
Singular:
mugwump
Plural:
mugwumpsOrigin of Mugwump
-
Folk etymology reinterpreted it as referring to a person who sat on the fence with mug ("face") one one side and wump ("rump") on the other, which influenced political cartoons during the 1884 U.S. presidential election.
From Wiktionary
-
From an Algonquian term, probably Massachusett mugquomp (“important (male) person").
From Wiktionary
Massachusett mugguomp, mummugguomp war leader
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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