# Jefferson

/ˈdʒɛfɝsən/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jefferson
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. Thomas Jefferson

noun · CEFR B2

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), the third president of the United States and the main writer of the Declaration of Independence.

For teachers: Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and principal author of the Declaration of Independence. Often used as a metonym for his political philosophy or era.

- Students in the US learn about Jefferson and his role in the American Revolution.
- The historian argued that Jefferson's private correspondence reveals a much more complex figure than the public image of the Enlightenment philosopher.

### 2. a two-dollar bill

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Slang · Informal

a US two-dollar bill, which has a picture of Thomas Jefferson on it.

For teachers: A United States two-dollar bill. This slang term is derived from the portrait of Thomas Jefferson featured on the obverse of the note.

- He found a crisp Jefferson in his birthday card from his grandfather.
- While two-dollar bills are legal tender, many cashiers rarely see a Jefferson and may initially mistake it for a counterfeit note.

Teaching tip: This is a very specific piece of American slang; most learners will only encounter it in movies or specific regional contexts.

## Examples

- He paid for the coffee with a crisp Jefferson.
- The cashier looked twice at the Jefferson because two-dollar bills are so rarely seen in daily circulation.
- While technically legal tender, the Jefferson is often treated as a novelty or a collector's item by those unfamiliar with its continued production.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.