ENGLISH
REFERENCE

jefferson

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US //ˈdʒɛfɝsən// jef·fer·son Slang

n. a slang term for a two-dollar bill in the United States. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, whose face is on the front of the bill.

n. a colloquial designation for a United States two-dollar bill. Derived from the portrait of Thomas Jefferson featured on the obverse of the currency.


SIMPLE

He paid for the coffee with a crisp Jefferson.

CONTEXTUAL

The cashier looked twice at the Jefferson because two-dollar bills are so rarely seen in daily circulation.

COMPLEX

While technically legal tender, the Jefferson is often treated as a novelty or a collector's item by those unfamiliar with its continued production.

Origin

From Jeffrey + -son. The placenames in the United States are named for Thomas Jefferson.

Usage

Informal and specific to American English; usually refers to the physical banknote rather than the value.

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