politburo

Where does the word "politburo" come from? It comes from Russian Politbyuro, and was adopted directly into English (1920s).

Politburo’s story begins in Russian: Politbyuro meant “Party's top policy committee.” Short for Politicheskoe byuro 'Political Bureau', byuro borrowed from French bureau; first formed in October 1917 to lead the Bolshevik uprising, and made permanent in 1919. It reached English by 1920s as politburo. Used for the Soviet ruling body, and later for the top committees of other Communist parties such as China's. Today, politburo means the chief policy-making committee of a Communist party.

1. Stage 1 · Russian · 1917 Politbyuro "Party's top policy committee", short for Politicheskoe byuro 'Political Bureau', byuro borrowed from French bureau; first formed in October 1917 to lead the Bolshevik uprising, and made permanent in 1919.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1920s politburo "Communist executive committee", used for the Soviet ruling body, and later for the top committees of other Communist parties such as China's.