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caucus

UK /ˈkɔːkəs/obsolete

caucus is spelled C-A-U-C-U-S: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 3.8 times per million words in written English, the 13,321st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, caucus means “A usually preliminary meeting of party members to nominate candidates for public office or delegates to be sent to a nominating convention, or to…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of caucus is caucuses or caucusses.

How many letters and syllables are in caucus?

Letters6: C-A-U-C-U-S
Syllables2 (from its American pronunciation)
In writing3.8 times per million words; the 13,321st most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is caucus?

Caucus appears 3.8 times per million words in written English, the 13,321st most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce caucus?

  • UK /ˈkɔːkəs/
  • British /ˈkoːkəs/
  • /ˈkɔkəs/

Caucus has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-caucus.wav, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Wodencafe-caucus.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of caucus

  • caucuses present, singular, he/she/it
  • caucusses present, singular, he/she/it
  • caucusing participle, present
  • caucussing participle, present
  • caucused participle, past
  • caucussed participle, past

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does caucus mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    CanadaUSarchaicA usually preliminary meeting of party members to nominate candidates for public office or delegates to be sent to a nominating convention, or to confer regarding policy.

  2. 2

    CanadaUSarchaicA grouping of all the members of a legislature from the same party.

  3. 3

    CanadaUSarchaicA political interest group by members of a legislative body.

verb

  1. 1

    CanadaUSarchaicTo meet and participate in a caucus.

  2. 2

    CanadaUSarchaicinformalTo confer.

  3. 3

    CanadaUSarchaicTo bring into or treat in a caucus.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Caucus in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchcaucus (a meeting of party members), groupe parlementaire (a grouping of all members of a legislature…)
GermanWahlausschuss (a meeting of party members), Fraktion, Parlamentsgruppierung (a grouping of all members of a legislature…)
Portuguesereunião/convenção (de partido) (a meeting of party members), bancada (a grouping of all members of a legislature…)
Spanishbancada (a meeting of party members)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does caucus come from?

Unknown. Often claimed to be from an Algonquian language; transcribed words such as cawaassough and caucauasu meaning "counselor, elder, adviser" appear in early texts. A popular folk etymology attested in Great Leaders and National Issues of 1896 stated: "In the early part of the eighteenth century a number of caulkers connected with the shipping business in the North End of Boston held a meeting for consultation.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after caucus