Ali Baba

2 7.2

A character in Arabian Nights who finds a thieves' cave using 'open sesame'

proper noun

Literature

: Ali Baba

As a child, I loved hearing the story of Ali Baba and the forty thieves.

Examples

The phrase 'open sesame' became famous because of Ali Baba's adventure.
Did you hear about Ali Baba and the forty thieves?
That old movie features Ali Baba sneaking into the thieves' hidden cave.
In the story, Ali Baba discovers a hidden treasure.
As a child, I loved hearing the story of Ali Baba and the forty thieves.
The phrase 'open sesame' became famous because of Ali Baba's adventure.
That old movie features Ali Baba sneaking into the thieves' hidden cave.

Surface Forms

Ali Baba main

Morphology

Ali + Baba

This is a proper name referring to a specific literary character and story; the meanings of the constituent elements 'Ali' and 'Baba' do not compose to yield the referential meaning (a man who discovers a thieves' treasure). Understanding the MWE requires cultural/literary knowledge rather than knowledge of the parts, so a B1 learner who only knows the words would not be able to derive its meaning.

Etymology

Ali Baba comes from a famous story in the Arabian Nights about a poor woodcutter who finds a secret cave full of the thieves' treasure and opens it with the magic words 'open sesame'. That's why Ali Baba often suggests someone who discovers hidden treasure or a secret fortune.