PoliticsAugust 8, 2026
chameleon
kuh-MEEL-yun
Definition
A person who changes their behavior, opinions, or personality to suit their current environment or the people they are with.
Etymology
Originating from the Greek 'khamaileōn', meaning 'ground lion', the term refers to the lizard's ability to change color, which evolved into a metaphor for fickle or adaptable people in English during the late 16th century.
In the news
The article uses the term to describe a diplomat who adapts their rhetoric to suit changing trade relations, highlighting how geopolitical stances shift based on immediate tariff pressures.
China retaliates with sanctions on US firms as tariff tensions rise
Read the full article ↗Fox News