Pronounced: SET-luhr (alt: SET-lore), noun
Notes: Not a misspelling
Yesterday’s word
The word tub-thumper is “a vociferous supporter”
First usage
Our word came into English in the mid-1600s
Background / Comments
I was sure that this came from politicians beating on an upturned tub to make their point; however, the earliest tub-thumpers were preachers who pounded on the pulpit (possibly to wake up attendees). At the time our word came into English, “tub” could be used as a synonym for “pulpit”. Our word spread to public speakers pounding on their lecterns. These days, the pounding aspect has died away, leaving our current meaning of someone who loudly supports something.
Richard's Vocabulary Word-of-the-Day 