WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
mug•wump
(mug′wump′),USA pronunciation n.
mug′wump′er•y, mug′wump′ism, n.
mug′wump′i•an, adj.
mug′wump′ish, adj.
- American Historya Republican who refused to support the party nominee, James G. Blaine, in the presidential campaign of 1884.
- American Historya person who is unable to make up his or her mind on an issue, esp. in politics;
a person who is neutral on a controversial issue.
- artificial 19th-cent. revival of Massachusett (English spelling, spelled) mugquomp, syncopated form of muggumquomp war leader (equivalent. to Proto-Algonquian *memekw- perh., swift + *-a·pe·w man) 1830–35, American.
mug′wump′i•an, adj.
mug′wump′ish, adj.