Jacobin

noun

Jac·​o·​bin ˈja-kə-bən 

1

: dominican

2

[French, from Jacobin Dominican; from the group's founding in the Dominican convent in Paris] : a member of an extremist or radical political group

especially : a member of such a group advocating egalitarian democracy and engaging in terrorist activities during the French Revolution of 1789

Jacobinic

ˌja-kə-ˈbi-nik 

adjective

or Jacobinical

ˌja-kə-ˈbi-ni-kəl 

Jacobinism

ˈja-kə-bə-ˌni-zəm 

noun

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French jacopin, from Medieval Latin Jacobinus, from Late Latin Jacobus (St. James); from the location of the first Dominican convent in the street of St. James, Paris

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1