Whig

See also: whig

English

Etymology

From Whiggamore, possibly from Scots whiggamore (“horse driver”), from whig (“to drive”) + mare.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʍɪɡ/, /wɪɡ/; enPR: hwĭg, wĭg
• Rhymes: -ɪɡ
• Homophones: whig; wig (wine–whine merger)

Noun

Whig (plural Whigs)

1. (UK politics, historical) A member of an 18th- and 19th-century political party in Britain that was opposed to the Tories, and eventually became the Liberal Party.

   Antonym: Tory

2. (UK politics, rare) A member (especially a politician) of the former Liberal Party or its successor, the Liberal Democrats.
3. (US politics, historical) An advocate of war against, or independence from, Britain during the American Revolution.

   Antonym: Tory

4. (US politics, historical) A member of a 19th-century US political party opposed to the Democratic Party.

   Antonyms: Democrat, Jacksonian Democrat

Derived terms

• Whiggery
• Whiggish
• Whiggishness

Translations

a member of an 18th- and 19th-century political party

• Danish: whig c
• Finnish: whig (fi)
• German: Whig (de) m
• Marathi: विग (vig)
• Ukrainian: віг (vih)

See also

• (UK): Tory
• (US): Federalist
• (UK): Lib Dem, Labour
• (Canada): Grit