locofocos

Variant of locofoco

locofoco definition

☆ loco·foco (lō′kō fō′kō)

noun pl. locofocos -·cos

  1. Historical a cigar or match ignited by friction
    1. a faction of the Democratic Party in New York (c. 1835)
    2. a member of this faction
  3. Archaic any Democrat

Etymology: coined (c. 1834) after loco(motive), interpreted as “self-(moving)” + It fuoco, fire < L focus: see focus: sense from the use of such matches in Tammany Hall, Oct. 22, 1835, by one faction to restore lights extinguished by another

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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