Young Turk

noun

1. a member of a Turkish reformist and nationalist party that was founded in the latter part of the 19th century and was the dominant political party in Turkey in the period 1908–18.
2. an insurgent in a political party, especially one belonging to a group or faction that supports liberal or progressive policies:

   The leadership of the party passed from the cautious old-line conservatives to the zealous Young Turks.

3. Also young Turk, young turk. any person aggressively or impatiently advocating reform within an organization.

Young Turk

noun

1. a progressive, revolutionary, or rebellious member of an organization, political party, etc, esp one agitating for radical reform
2. a member of an abortive reform movement in the Ottoman Empire, originally made up of exiles in W Europe who advocated liberal reforms. The movement fell under the domination of young Turkish army officers of a nationalist bent, who wielded great influence in the government between 1908 and 1918

Young Turk

1. An insurgent person trying to take control of a situation or organization by force or political maneuver. The term originated from the mostly young Turkish officers who overthrew Ottoman rulers after World War I .

Word History and Origins

Origin of Young Turk¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

“Parts of his concurrence read as a Black elder chiding and chastising an errant Young Turk who has publicly contradicted him and failed to show him sufficient deference,” she said.

From New York Times

It was late 1908, and that summer’s Young Turk Revolution had injected a new spirit of liberalization across the Ottoman Empire, which controlled much of what was then Palestine.

From New York Times

That and some schooling from former president Gerald Ford, a longtime House member whom Boehner bonded with over their mutual love of golf, turned the young Turk into a seasoned dealmaker.

From Washington Post

The Young Turk regime ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1908 and during the war.

From BBC

"Ruhle is offended that Biden, a man who told wealthy donors that 'nothing would fundamentally change' under his leadership, isn't pandering enough to rich people like herself. And if trying to appeal to the working class is 'Trump's thing,' Democrats will never stop losing," The Young Turk correspondent Emma Vigeland said.

From Fox News