pocket borough

noun

: an English constituency controlled before parliamentary reform by a single person or family

Word History

First Known Use

1783, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pocket borough was in 1783

Dictionary Entries Near pocket borough

pocket boom

pocket borough

pocket bread

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Cite this Entry

“Pocket borough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pocket%20borough. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pocket borough

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