Jefferson

[jef-er-suhn]

noun

1. Joseph, 1829–1905, U.S. actor.

2. Thomas, 1743–1826, U.S. statesman, diplomat, architect, and author: 3rd president of the U.S. 1801–09.

3. a river in southwestern Montana, flowing generally northeast to join the Madison and Gallatin rivers to form the Missouri River. 225 miles (362 km) long.

4. Mount Jefferson, a mountain in northwestern Oregon, in the Cascade Range. 10,497 feet (3,199 meters).

5. Mount Jefferson, a mountain in northern New Hampshire, in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains. 5,715 feet (1,742 meters).

6. a male given name.

Jefferson

/ ˌdʒɛfəˈsəʊnɪən, ˈdʒɛfəsən /

noun

1. Thomas. 1743–1826, US statesman: secretary of state (1790–93); third president (1801–09). He was the chief drafter of the Declaration of Independence (1776), the chief opponent of the centralizing policies of the Federalists under Hamilton, and effected the Louisiana Purchase (1803)

Other Word Forms

• Jeffersonian adjective

Example Sentences

The U.S. has led in higher education because we have had universities that promote free inquiry without fear or favor and that adhere to Thomas Jefferson’s ideals: namely, self-governance and freedom from outside controls.

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But Hamilton’s fortunes crumbled in 1800 when his political rival Thomas Jefferson was elected president.

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Name, rank and serial number—even when the topic is Thomas Jefferson.

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Four years later, at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, all nuance was gone; the version of Jefferson on display became a denigrating demonstration of hypocrisy.

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In Culver City, McCourt Partners has recently joined with Lincoln Property Co. to take over and redesign a proposed apartment complex on Jefferson Boulevard.

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