- Today's Word
Apparatchik
[ah-puh-RAT-chik]
Definition
- (noun) A blindly devoted official, follower, or member of an organization, especially a political party. It typically refers to someone who follows orders and policies without question, often prioritizing their position within the system over independent thought or action.
Example
As a longtime apparatchik of the ruling party, John always toed the party line in public, regardless of his personal opinions on the matter.
Fun Fact
The word “apparatchik” comes from the Russian word “apparat,” meaning “apparatus” or “machine,” referring to the Communist Party’s bureaucracy. It entered English usage during the Cold War era and has since been used to describe unquestioningly loyal members of any large, powerful organization, not just political parties.
(verb) To criticize someone or something severely and publicly, often with harsh or scathing language.
The columnist excoriated the company’s leadership for ignoring repeated safety warnings.
Excoriate comes from the Latin excoriare, meaning “to strip off the skin,” from ex- (“off”) and corium (“hide” or “skin”). While the word originally described physical abrasion, its meaning shifted metaphorically over time to describe verbal attacks so harsh they feel skin-deep, leaving nothing protected.