tory
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Tory¹
- /ˈtɔː.ɹi/ UK
- /ˈtoɹ.i/ US
Rhymes with -ɔːɹi
Where it comes from
From Irish tóraí (“pursuer”), from tóir (“pursuit”). The first recorded use in English is from a 1646 letter by James Butler, Earl of Ormond, to a Colonel O'Brien, describing bandits and thieves on main roadways.
noun Tories
-
A member or supporter of the Conservative Party, which evolved from Royalist politicians; historically associated with upholding the rights of the monarchy and the privileges of the established Church.
Similar: Conservative · Opposite: Whig
-
One who is like a British Tory; someone politically conservative.
Similar: conservative, small-c conservative
-
A member or supporter of the Conservative Party of Canada, one of that party's predecessors, or an affiliated provincial political party.
The latest Tory budget continued the trend begun in 2000 by making further small cuts in family income taxes.
Similar: Conservative, Progressive Conservative, PC, P.C.
-
A member of the political factions that sought to prevent the exclusion of James, Duke of York, from the throne of England in the 17th century.
Opposite: Exclusioner
- An Irish rebel fighting against English rule at the end of the Confederate War and Cromwellian invasion; later extended to other rebels or bandits. Ho! Master Teague, what is your story? / I went to the wood and kill’d a tory; / […] I hunted him in, and I hunted him out, / Three times through the bog, about and about; / When out of a bush I saw his head, / So I fired my gun, and I shot him dead.
-
A loyal British subject during the American Revolution.
Similar: loyalist, Loyalist, United Empire Loyalist, Royalist · Opposite: Whig
- A Union sympathizer in the Confederate States during the American Civil War.
adjective
- Of or belonging to the Tory Party or the Conservative Party.
- Of or belonging to the Conservative Party of Canada, one of that party's predecessors, or an affiliated provincial political party.
Tory²
- /ˈtɔː.ɹi/ UK
- /ˈtoɹ.i/ US
Rhymes with -ɔːɹi
Where it comes from
Short for Victoria when used as a female name, and for Victor or Salvatore when used as a male name.
proper noun
- A female given name.
- A male given name.
Tory³
- /ˈtɔː.ɹi/ UK
- /ˈtoɹ.i/ US
Rhymes with -ɔːɹi
proper noun
- Ellipsis of Tory Island, County Donegal, Ireland.
tory⁴
Where it comes from
See Tory.
noun tories
- Alternative letter-case form of Tory
adjective
- Alternative letter-case form of Tory
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: conservative, registrar, curator, conservator, inside, direction, path, track, preservative, curators, governors, right-winger, reactionary, traditionalist, loyalist, rightist
Translations
Talk about this word "tory." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/tory. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. tory. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/tory "tory." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/tory.Cite this
@misc{tory_2026,
title = {tory},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/tory},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
