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 a member of an abortive reform movement in the Ottoman Empire, originally made up of exiles in W Europe who advocated liberal reforms.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

The Young Turks have a largely male audience, and as progressive as the channel's voices may imagine themselves to be, there's a pronounced tendency toward the view that women are implicated in men's problems.

From Salon

I reported all this for The Young Turks on May 11, 2022.

From Salon

During his time in the state House, Pryor gained a reputation as one of the “Young Turks” who were interested in reforming the state’s political system.

From Seattle Times

“First, this primary hasn’t even begun, let alone ended,” the “Young Turks” host tweeted.

From Washington Times

“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