Thermidorian

English

Etymology

From Thermidor +‎ -ian, calque of French thermidorien.

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˌθɜːmɪˈdɔːɹɪ.ən/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˌθɝməˈdɔɹi.ən/
  • Rhymes: -ɔːɹiən

Noun

Thermidorian (plural Thermidorians)

  1. (historical) Someone who took part in, or supported, the overthrow of Robespierre on the 9th Thermidor (27 July) 1794.
    • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 501:
      By then, the Thermidorians’ sights were already trained on a further target, namely, ‘the Four’, as they became known: Billaud-Varenne, Collot d'Herbois and Barère from the old CPS and Vadier from the CGS.

Adjective

Thermidorian (comparative more Thermidorian, superlative most Thermidorian)

  1. (French historical) Pertaining to such people.
    • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 501:
      The Thermidorian spirit of revenge focused particularly on the most extreme – and most unrepentant – former Terrorists within the Convention.
  2. Designating a relatively moderate reaction to a revolution.
    • 1974, W.F. Wertheim, Evolution and Revolution:
      It is against the background of these Thermidorian tendencies in the Soviet Union that we have to view the so-called ‘Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution’ in China.
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