— mugwumpery, mugwumpism , n. — mugwumpian , adj. — mugwumpish , adj.
/mug"wump'/ , n.
1. a Republican who refused to support the party nominee, James G. Blaine, in the presidential campaign of 1884.
2. a 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.
[ 1830-35, Amer.; artificial 19th-cent. revival of Massachusett (E sp.) mugquomp, syncopated form of muggumquomp war leader (equiv. to Proto-Algonquian * memekw- perh., swift + * -a·pe·w man) ]