jacobin
jacobin Lexical Profile
jacobin Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A member of the most radical and ruthless of the political groups formed in the wake of the French Revolution.
"Maximilien Robespierre was a prominent Jacobin who played a key role in orchestrating the Reign of Terror."
A person who holds extreme radical or revolutionary political views.
"Critics labeled the aggressive reformist a jacobin for his uncompromising attempts to dismantle the existing government structure."
A breed of fancy pigeon characterized by a distinctive hood or cowl of feathers that resembles the hood of a Dominican friar.
"The breeder proudly displayed a pristine white jacobin at the national avian exhibition."
• adjective
Relating to the Jacobins of the French Revolution or characteristic of extreme political radicalism.
"The professor criticized the jacobin tendencies of the modern political fringe."
Word Nuance & Usage
When capitalized, 'Jacobin' specifically refers to the radical political club of the French Revolution; when lowercase, it denotes a general political extremist or a specific breed of fancy pigeon.
• Rhymes for jacobin
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle French 'Jacobin' (a Dominican friar), named after the Rue Saint-Jacques in Paris where they had a convent. During the French Revolution, the radical Jacobin Club met in a former Dominican convent, thereby acquiring the name.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.