apparatchik

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The Word of the Day for May 24 is:

apparatchik   \ah-puh-RAH-chik\   noun
     1 : member of a Communist apparat
    *2 : a blindly devoted official, follower, or member of an organization (as 
a corporation or political party)

Example sentence:
     The boss seemed to prefer apparatchiks to anyone with a glimmer of 
independent thought.

Did you know?
     In the context of the definition of "apparatchik" (a term English speakers 
borrowed from Russian), "apparat" essentially means "party machine." An 
"apparatchik," therefore, is a cog in the system of the Communist Party. The 
term is not an especially flattering one, and its negative connotations reflect 
the perception that some Communists were obedient drones in the great Party 
machine. In current use, however, a person doesn't have to be a member of the 
Communist Party to be called an "apparatchik"; he or she just has to be someone 
who mindlessly follows orders in an organization or bureaucracy.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. 




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