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Glite Dictionary
Alfred Dreyfus

Alfred Dreyfus

1 7.9
A French army officer who was wrongly accused of treason and whose case showed anti-Jewish hatred in France
  • proper noun
: Alfred Dreyfus
  • The case of Alfred Dreyfus became a symbol of injustice and antisemitism in France.

Examples

  • The wrongful conviction of Alfred Dreyfus deeply divided French society at the time.

  • Many writers and intellectuals came to the defense of Alfred Dreyfus during his imprisonment.

  • The case of Alfred Dreyfus shocked the nation.

  • Did you know about Alfred Dreyfus' trial?

  • Many writers and intellectuals came to the defense of Alfred Dreyfus during his imprisonment.

  • The case of Alfred Dreyfus became a symbol of injustice and antisemitism in France.

  • The wrongful conviction of Alfred Dreyfus deeply divided French society at the time.

Synonyms

Dreyfus
vsAlfred Dreyfus
1 9.7

A French army officer wrongly convicted of treason in 1894 whose case shows strong hatred of Jewish people

is the full name form often shown with lifespan dates

Surface Forms

Alfred Dreyfus main

Morphology

Alfred + Dreyfus

This is a referential proper name for a specific historical person and event; knowing the constituent words 'Alfred' and 'Dreyfus' does not allow a B1 learner to infer the biography, false conviction, or political scandal associated with the name. Proper names are idiosyncratic and culture-specific, so the meaning is not compositionally derived from the parts.

Etymology

Alfred Dreyfus was a real French army officer who was wrongly accused of 'treason' in the 1890s because he was Jewish. His long, unfair trial and the public attacks he faced made his name a symbol of 'injustice' and hatred against Jews, so people use it when they mean a serious wrongful conviction or public prejudice.