Republicans can't stop using the word 'woke'. But what does it really mean?

There's one word on the Republican presidential campaign trail that's hard to avoid – "woke."

Republicans on the campaign trail are using it as something of a catch-all to criticize anything on the progressive side of the political spectrum they don't like – whether it's teaching about racism in schools or gender transition policies or even books in libraries they deem inappropriate.

But the term didn't originate with Republicans — or this round of the culture wars.

"It comes out of black culture," explained Elaine Richardson, a professor of literacy studies at the Ohio State University. Richardson co-authored an academic paper examining the word's use in the Black Lives Matter movement.

"In simple terms, it just means being politically conscious and aware," she said. "Like stay woke."