Jeffersonian

adjective

Jef·​fer·​so·​nian ˌje-fər-ˈsō-nē-ən 

-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

Kids Definition

Jeffersonian

adjective

Jef·​fer·​so·​nian

ˌjef-ər-ˈsō-nē-ən

: of, relating to, or associated with Thomas Jefferson

especially : of, relating to, or consistent with the political principles and ideas held by or associated with Thomas Jefferson