Definition

1. Noun:
   • A member of the Whig Party that existed in the United States before the American Civil War: A person who belonged to a major American political party active from the 1830s to the 1850s, which was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and was eventually succeeded by the modern Republican Party.
   • A supporter of the American Revolution: In the context of the American Revolution, a "Whig" was a colonist who supported the revolution and independence from Great Britain, opposing the "Tories" who remained loyal to the British Crown.
   • A member of the political party that urged social reform in 18th and 19th century England; was the opposition party to the Tories: A person who belonged to a British political faction and later party that championed constitutional monarchy, parliamentary supremacy, and commercial and religious interests, in opposition to the conservative Tories.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Henry Clay was a prominent American Whig who served as a senator and Speaker of the House.
  • During the American Revolution, a Whig would have supported the Continental Congress.
  • The British Whig party advocated for the Great Reform Act of 1832.

Advanced Usage

• "Whig history" or "Whiggish history": A term in historiography that describes a view of history as a story of inevitable progress toward greater liberty and enlightenment, often associated with a teleological interpretation.
  • The historian criticized the account as being too Whiggish, presenting the past merely as a march toward modern democracy.

Variants and Related Words

• Whiggish (adj): Having the characteristics of or relating to Whigs or Whig principles.
  • His political philosophy has a distinctly Whiggish emphasis on gradual reform.
• Whiggery (n): The principles or policies of the Whigs.
• Anti-Whig (adj/n): Opposed to Whig policies or principles.

Synonyms

• American Revolution context: Patriot, Revolutionary.
• British political context: Liberal, Reformer (historical context). (Note: These are conceptual synonyms for the party's role, not direct name substitutes.)

Related Phrases

• "Whig Party": The specific name of the historical political parties in Britain and the United States.
• "Whig interpretation of history": The aforementioned historiographical concept.

Notes on Meaning

The meaning of "Whig" is almost exclusively historical and political. Its specific reference depends entirely on the national and temporal context (18th-century Britain, Revolutionary America, or antebellum United States). It is not used to describe modern political affiliations.

Noun

1. a member of the Whig Party that existed in the United States before the American Civil War
2. a supporter of the American Revolution
3. a member of the political party that urged social reform in 18th and 19th century England; was the opposition party to the Tories