Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has once again grabbed social media users’ attention with an unusual English word. This time around, the Thiruvananthapuram MP wants to replace politically charged words like andhbhakts (supporters), godi (idol) and paid followers with quockerwodger (a person who makes money from followers).
Tharoor posted the suggestion on social media platform X. Tharoor — who has an encyclopedic vocabulary and is interested in rarely used English words — explained the meaning of the term as well giving his followers another vocabulary lesson (this time with a political twist).
What Did Shashi Tharoor Say?
In his post Tharoor asked whether “quockerwodger” would be an acceptable replacement for people who are tired of being called “andhbhakts”, “godi” or “paid followers”?
He gave a definition of quockerwodger as political puppet — ie person who is controlled by someone else and acts on their instructions.
The post was soon noticed because of the unusual spelling and pronunciation of the word. Many social media users were introduced to it, some remembered Tharoor’s earlier posts about uncommon English vocabulary.
What Does Quockerwodger Mean?
Quockerwodger is a very rare English word that dates from the 19th century. It originally meant a wooden puppet whose movements were controlled by strings.
Over time the word also acquired a political meaning. It can mean politician or public figure who acts as if he/she were being led or told by someone else rather than exercising independent judgement.
A quockerwodger is someone who acts like a puppet controlled by somebody else. In other words, a quockerwodger is someone who behaves like a puppet.
The term is particularly interesting in political discussions because it covers independence, influence and accountability.
Tharoor Had Used the Word Earlier Too
Not that November 4 was the first time Tharoor used the word. On September 20, 2026 he had called quockerwodger “word of our era”.
At that point he gave the definition and made a political comment about the ruling party saying that they had produced several such people in the last twelve years.
Tharoor had also introduced the word to his social media followers in April 2022 saying it was “a useful addition to political vocabulary”.
His latest post therefore has put an old English expression back in the limelight.
For those tired of describing people as “andhbhakts”, “godi”, “paid followers” and the like, an acceptable alternative? https://t.co/XIzxRs8Ddp
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 4, 2026
Tharoor's Love for Unusual English Words
Shashi Tharoor is known for using uncommon English words in public speeches and social media posts. Vocabulary updates are often discussed on Twitter and users search dictionaries to figure out what those words mean.
Some of the other words associated with his political commentary are “allodoxaphobia” (irrational fear of opinions), “farrago” (confused mixture) and “troglodyte” (someone deliberately ignorant or old fashioned).
His interest in language has also led to his book Tharoorosaurus which introduces readers to unusual English words.
A Vocabulary Lesson with a Political Message
Tharoor’s latest idea combines language and political commentary: He has given social media users another word to describe people they think are acting under someone else’s influence by bringing back the word quockerwodger.
Whether the word becomes popular in everyday political conversations is another matter. But again it’s shown how an unfamiliar English expression can become a talking point on social media.
Comments