Jeffersonian

adjective

Jef·​fer·​so·​nian ˌje-fər-ˈsō-nē-ən How to pronounce Jeffersonian (audio)
-nyən
: of, relating to, or associated with Thomas Jefferson
… in an essay on Jefferson and Jeffersonian science, Holton exposes a fresh facet of this remarkable personality: Jefferson formulated the nation's first science policy.Daniel Kleppner
especially : of, relating to, or consistent with the political principles and ideas held by or associated with Thomas Jefferson : consistent with or characterized by Jeffersonianism
Jeffersonian democracy
Jeffersonian principles
Fundamentally, they sought to foster the Jeffersonian concept of an agrarian society, harkening back to the belief that a strong central government was the enemy of individual liberty, a tyranny to be feared. Mary Beth Norton et al.
Jeffersonian noun
plural Jeffersonians
Rhetorically he was a Jeffersonian; actually he was a Hamiltonian, asserting implied powers sufficient for his "American System." George F. Will

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Jeffersonian was in 1800

Dictionary Entries Near Jeffersonian

Cite this Entry

“Jeffersonian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Jeffersonian. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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