Brother Jonathan

proper noun

The personification and emblem of New England. He is also an allegory of capitalism and transcendent aspirations, and, in the past, has occasionally been the national personification of the entire United States.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. The personification and emblem of New England. He is also an allegory of capitalism and transcendent aspirations, and, in the past, has occasionally been the national personification of the entire United States.

Origin

Said to have originated from George Washington referring to the patriotic Jonathan Trumbull, governor of Connecticut, by this name.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Brother Jonathan. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Brother%20Jonathan

MLA

“Brother Jonathan.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Brother%20Jonathan. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Brother Jonathan,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Brother%20Jonathan.

Source: Brother Jonathan on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.