Andrei Sakharov

2 7.6

A Soviet physicist who helped create the hydrogen bomb and later worked to end nuclear weapons and protect human rights

proper noun

: Andrei Sakharov

Andrei Sakharov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975 for his efforts to promote human rights.

Examples

Many people regard Andrei Sakharov as the conscience of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
The legacy of Andrei Sakharov continues to inspire activists today.
The legacy of Andrei Sakharov continues to inspire those who fight for freedom and justice around the world.
Did you know that Andrei Sakharov won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975?
Andrei Sakharov was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1975 for his efforts to promote human rights.
Many people regard Andrei Sakharov as the conscience of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
The legacy of Andrei Sakharov continues to inspire those who fight for freedom and justice around the world.

Surface Forms

Andrei Sakharov main

Morphology

Andrei + Sakharov

This is a proper name whose constituents are personal names with no lexical meanings given; knowing the words 'Andrei' and 'Sakharov' does not allow a learner to infer the biographical information (Soviet physicist, Nobel laureate, dissident). The referential, encyclopedic meaning requires cultural/historical knowledge rather than compositional derivation, so it is not transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Andrei Sakharov was a Soviet scientist who helped develop the hydrogen bomb and later became a brave critic of the government who fought for human rights and won the Nobel Peace Prize. That's why his name now means 'a scientist who stood up for human rights'.