The original word tory comes from the Irish word tóraidhe, meaning "outlaw; robber." In the 17th century Ireland, it denoted "a dispossessed Irishman subsisting as an outlaw [Merriam-Webster] " In Colonial USA, a "tory" was a person who was loyal to Britain during the American Revolution. In modern Britain, it is a nickname for a member of the Conservative party. See Also: Tori