bloc party

noun

A nonruling political party that exists in a largely symbolic capacity within a de facto one-party system, particularly in communist regimes.

Meanings

nounbloc party (plural bloc parties)

plural bloc parties

  1. A nonruling political party that exists in a largely symbolic capacity within a de facto one-party system, particularly in communist regimes.

    Bloc party membership was largely opportunistic, offering a niche in public life (officially sanctioned yet apart from the SED), and opportunities for career advancement.

    1996, Paul G. Lewis, editor, Party Structure and Organization in East-Central Europe, Edward Elgar Publishing, →ISBN, page 173

    Synonyms: satellite party

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA nonruling political party that exists in a largely symbolic capacity within a de facto one-party system, particularly in communist regimes.

Origin

  1. GermanBlockpartei
  2. Englishbloc party

Calque of German Blockpartei.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 民主黨派 /民主党派, 花瓶黨 /花瓶党
  • 民主黨派 /民主党派 (Mínzhǔ Dǎngpài)Translations
  • 花瓶黨 /花瓶党 (huāpíngdǎng)Translations
German Blockpartei
  • BlockparteiTranslations
Korean 위성정당
  • 위성정당 (wiseongjeongdang)Translations

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

Cite this entry
APA

bloc party. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bloc%20party

MLA

“bloc party.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bloc%20party. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bloc party,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bloc%20party.

Source: bloc party on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.