trapo n. a traditional politician believed to be corrupt. Etymological Note: < Tgl. ‘dirty rag, old rag’ < Span. ‘cleaning cloth.’ (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Join the discussion
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Further reading
You know the expression fly in the ointment: It’s that glaring typo on an impressive resume or that first scratch on a brand-new car—the one little flaw that spoils it all. This phrase goes all the way back to the biblical Book of Ecclesiastes! And...
The phrase a fly in the ointment means “a small thing that ruins something larger.” The phrase goes all the way back to a passage in Ecclesiastes: “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor.” Here the word...
Additional etymological note:
Trapo is also a blend word or fusion, combining the first syllables of TRA-ditional PO-litician. In the beginning, Philippine journalists and “street parliamentarians” (that is, activists) used “tradpol” to refer to traditional politicians. At some point, someone must have noticed that “trapo” was a better combination because it’s also the Spanish-derived Tagalog word for rag.
Thanks! Very useful.
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo = Trapo