locofocolocofoco

The story

From Latin locus (‘place; cause’) and focus (‘hearth; fire’), although possibly prompted by misunderstanding the prefix of locomotive (itself from locus) as instead meaning something like self- or auto-. In reference to the NY political faction, derived from the use of locofoco matches to light candles and continue a meeting the rival Tammany Hall faction had attempted to end by killing the meeting place's gaslights. Often folk etymologized to derive from Spanish loco (‘crazy’).1folk etymology The source marks this as unproven or a folk etymology. Quoted, not asserted.