What does mugwump mean?

Definitions for mugwump
ˈmʌgˌwʌmpmug·wump

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word mugwump.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. Mugwumpnoun

    someone who bolted from the Republican Party during the U.S. presidential election of 1884

  2. mugwump, independent, fencesitternoun

    a neutral or uncommitted person (especially in politics)

GCIDE

  1. mugwumpnoun

    A person who is undecided about an issue, especially a political one; a person who takes a neutral stance on an issue; a fence-sitter.

Wiktionary

  1. mugwumpnoun

    An independent neutral politician, especially in reference to 1884 U.S. presidential election.

  2. mugwumpnoun

    A small, ferocious creature

  3. Etymology: From the Algonquian: great chief, from mogki great + -omp man, or from a person who sat on a fence with his mug (face) on one side, and his wump (buttocks) on the other

Wikipedia

  1. mugwump

    The Mugwumps were Republican political activists in the United States who were intensely opposed to political corruption. They were never formally organized. Typically they switched parties from the Republican Party by supporting Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland in the presidential election of 1884. They switched because they rejected the long history of corruption associated with Republican candidate James G. Blaine. In a close election, the Mugwumps claimed they made the difference in New York State and swung the election to Cleveland. The jocular word "mugwump", noted as early as 1832, is from Algonquian mugquomp, "important person, kingpin" (from mugumquomp, "war leader"), implying that Mugwumps were "sanctimonious" or "holier-than-thou" in holding themselves aloof from party politics. After the election, "mugwump" survived for more than a decade as an epithet for a party bolter in American politics. Many Mugwumps became Democrats or remained independents, and most continued to support reform well into the 20th century. During the Third Party System, party loyalty was in high regard, and independents were rare. Theodore Roosevelt stunned his upper-class New York City friends by supporting Blaine in 1884; by rejecting the Mugwumps, he kept alive his Republican Party leadership, clearing the way for his own political aspirations.New England and the Northeast had been a stronghold of the Republican Party since the Civil War era, but the Mugwumps considered Blaine to be an untrustworthy and fraudulent candidate. Their idealism and reform sensibilities led them to oppose the corruption in the politics of the Gilded Age.

ChatGPT

  1. mugwump

    A mugwump is a term that originates from North American politics, referring to a person who is independent, especially in their political affiliacies, or one who maintains a neutral or non-committal stance on political matters. The term is also often used to describe someone who is aloof, removed, or remains undecided, particularly in politics. It can also be used more broadly to define a person who is independent in their thoughts and actions, outside of the political context.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Mugwumpnoun

    a bolter from the Republican party in the national election of 1884; an Independent

  2. Etymology: [Cf. Algonquin mugquomp a chief.]

Wikidata

  1. Mugwump

    The Mugwumps were Republican political activists who bolted from the United States Republican Party by supporting Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland in the United States presidential election of 1884. They switched parties because they rejected the financial corruption associated with Republican candidate James G. Blaine. In a close election, the Mugwumps supposedly made the difference in New York state and swung the election to Cleveland. The jocular word mugwump, noted as early as 1832, is from Algonquian mugquomp, "important person, kingpin" implying that they were "sanctimonious" or "holier-than-thou," in holding themselves aloof from party politics. After the election, mugwump survived for more than a decade as an epithet for a party bolter in American politics. Many Mugwumps became Democrats or remained independents; most continued to support reform well into the 20th century. During the Third Party System, party loyalty was in high regard and independents were rare. Theodore Roosevelt stunned his upper class New York City friends by supporting Blaine in 1884; by rejecting the Mugwumps he kept alive his Republican party leadership, clearing the way for his own political aspirations.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Mugwump

    mug′wump, n. an Indian chief: a person of great importance, or who thinks himself so: a humorous political use of the above. [Algonkin mugquomp, a great man.]

Suggested Resources

  1. mugwump

    Song lyrics by mugwump -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by mugwump on the Lyrics.com website.

Etymology and Origins

  1. Mugwump

    An Indian word for “wise chief.” The Mugwumps of North America are the Democrats, whose political aims are above cliques or parties; therefore they refuse to be influenced by a “Caucus.”

How to pronounce mugwump?

How to say mugwump in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of mugwump in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of mugwump in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Popularity rank by frequency of use

mugwump#100000#220515#333333

Translations for mugwump

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"mugwump." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/mugwump>.

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