snollygoster
- A shrewd, unprincipled person, especially a politician who acts for personal gain rather than from genuine conviction.
In a sentence
- The editorial accused the senator of being a classic snollygoster, switching positions the moment the polls shifted.
- Voters grew weary of snollygosters who promised reform during campaigns but quietly protected their donors once elected.
Usage note. This is an informal, chiefly American term with a humorous or rhetorical flavor; it works well in political satire or colorful speech but would be out of place in formal writing.
Where it comes from
English snollygoster · entered English 19th c.
American English slang of uncertain origin, first attested in the mid-19th century. It may derive from 'snallygaster,' a creature from German-American folklore said to prey on the weak, though this connection is disputed. The word appeared in print by the 1840s–1860s and was famously used by President Harry Truman.