caucus Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a closed political meeting
  2. verb meet to select a candidate or promote a policy

WordNet

Cau"cus noun
Etymology
Etymology uncertain. Mr. J. H. Trumbull finds the origin of caucus in the N. A. Indian word cawcawwassough or caú cau-as'u one who urges or pushes on, a promoter. See citation for an early use of the word caucus.
Definitions
  1. A meeting, especially a preliminary meeting, of persons belonging to a party, to nominate candidates for public office, or to select delegates to a nominating convention, or to confer regarding measures of party policy; a political primary meeting.
    This day learned that the caucus club meets, at certain times, in the garret of Tom Dawes, the adjutant of the Boston regiment. John Adams's Diary [Feb. , 1763].
Cau"cus intransitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Caucused ; present participle & verbal noun Caucusing
Definitions
  1. To hold, or meet in, a caucus or caucuses.

Webster 1913