First Known Use: 1646
Dictionary
Tory
noun To·ry \ˈtȯr-ē\
: a member of the British Conservative Party
plural Tories
Full Definition of TORY
1
: a dispossessed Irishman subsisting as an outlaw chiefly in the 17th century
3
a : a member or supporter of a major British political group of the 18th and early 19th centuries favoring at first the Stuarts and later royal authority and the established church and seeking to preserve the traditional political structure and defeat parliamentary reform — compare whig b : conservative 1b
4
: an American upholding the cause of the British Crown against the supporters of colonial independence during the American Revolution : loyalist
5
often not capitalized : an extreme conservative especially in political and economic principles
— Tory adjective
See Tory defined for English-language learners
See Tory defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of TORY
Irish tóraidhe outlaw, robber, from Middle Irish tóir pursuit
Related to TORY
- Synonyms
- archconservative, paleoconservative, reactionary, rightist, right-winger, conservative, traditionalist
- Antonyms
- leftist, left-winger, lefty, liberal, progressive
Other History Terms
Learn More About TORY
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: Tory DemocracyPrevious Word in the Dictionary: torusAll Words Near: Tory
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up Tory? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).