Why Are Conservatives Called “Tories”, Where Did the Term Originate, and What Does it Mean?

Photo of author

Karen Hill

By definition, Liberals want to change things while Conservatives want to maintain the status quo.

So it should be no surprise that the word Tory is from the Celtic words for “the king’s party” and “partisans of the king,” both of which were derived from the Irish word toruigh, meaning “to ambush.”

Formed in 1679, the Tory Party became the Conservative Party in 1832, but their opponents continue to call them Tories.

Taob-righ (Celtic for “king’s party”)

Tuath-righ (Celtic for “partisans of the king”) Tar-a-ri (Celtic for “come o king”)

Related Posts

  1. Why Do Conservatives Call Liberals “Bleeding Hearts” and Where Did the Expression Come From?
  2. Why is a Male donkey Called Jack and a Female Donkey Called Jenny and How Did the Names Originate?
  3. Why is a gasoline bomb called a Molotov Cocktail and where did the term originate?
  4. How Did the Term “Private Eye” Originate and Why is a Private Detective Called a “Private Eye”?
  5. Why is a Computer Problem Called a “Bug” and Where Did the Term Originate?
  6. If a Group of Lions is Called a Pride, What is a Group of Tigers Called and Why?