name
Uncommon
Tories
Tories (name) means a common nickname for the British Conservative Party and its members. Example: “The Tories won a majority in the general election.”
name
1
A common nickname for the British Conservative Party and its members.
"Helped by massive tax increases piled on to the electorate by the Tories in their first post-election budget, we slowly began to win the battle."
— Philip Gould, The Unfinished Revolution: How New Labour Changed British Politics (2011)
"The Tories won a majority in the general election."
2
A nickname for the Conservative Party of Canada or its historical predecessor parties.
"The Tories campaigned on lowering taxes across the province."
How to use Tories
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn informal, widely used nickname for Conservative politicians and their party, mainly in the UK and Canada.
UK vs US
Almost exclusively a British and Canadian term — Americans use "Republicans" or "conservatives" instead.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like Tories.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ won a majority in the general election.
Etymology
The plural of "Tory," a term originally used in 17th-century Britain for supporters of the king's authority, later adopted by the Conservative Party.
Class of 1600
Tories joined the language around 1600.
See the full Class of 1600 →
Rhymes for Tories
See all rhymes for Tories →Frequently asked questions
What does “Tories” mean?
The word “Tories” means a common nickname for the British Conservative Party and its members. In plain terms, an informal, widely used nickname for Conservative politicians and their party, mainly in the UK and Canada.
How do you use “Tories” in a sentence?
Here is “Tories” used in a sentence: “The Tories won a majority in the general election.”
What part of speech is “Tories”?
“Tories” is a name.
Where does the word “Tories” come from?
The word “Tories” dates back to around 1600. The plural of "Tory," a term originally used in 17th-century Britain for supporters of the king's authority, later adopted by the Conservative Party.
Is “Tories” a common word?
“Tories” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “Tories” have?
“Tories” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a common nickname for the British Conservative Party and its members.
What is the difference between "Tories" and "Conservatives"?
"Tories" is simply an informal nickname for the Conservative Party, most commonly used for the British Conservative Party but also applied historically to Canadian conservative parties. "Conservative" is the party's formal name, while "Tory" or "Tories" is the everyday shorthand used in news reporting and casual speech.
Is "Tories" used in British or Canadian politics, or both?
Both. "Tories" is used most widely as a nickname for the British Conservative Party and its members, but it is also applied to the Conservative Party of Canada and its historical predecessor parties.
Is "Tories" a formal or informal term?
"Tories" is an informal nickname rather than an official party name. It is common in headlines, casual political commentary, and everyday conversation, but the party's official name remains "Conservative Party."
