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Glite Dictionary
Battle of Maldon

Battle of Maldon

1 9.9
A fight in 991 near Maldon, England where Danish invaders defeated the English
  • proper noun
: Batalla de Maldon
  • The Battle of Maldon took place in 991 and is known for the heroic stand of the Anglo-Saxons.

Examples

  • Many details about the Battle of Maldon survive through the eponymous Old English poem.

  • Historians often debate the exact location where the Battle of Maldon took place.

  • The Battle of Maldon was a turning point in Anglo-Saxon resistance against Viking raids.

  • The Battle of Maldon was a significant event in English history.

  • Many poems have been written about the Battle of Maldon.

  • Historians often reference the Battle of Maldon when discussing the struggles between the Anglo-Saxons and the Danes.

  • Many details about the Battle of Maldon are highlighted in an Old English poem celebrating the event.

Synonyms

Maldon
vsBattle of Maldon
1 9.9

Place where the Danes defeated the Saxons in 991 and that appears in an Old English poem

focuses on the battle event itself rather than on the location

Surface Forms

Battle of Maldon main

Morphology

battle + of + Maldon

The meaning is directly compositional: 'battle' (a fight) + 'of' (linking) + 'Maldon' (a place) yields 'the fight that took place at Maldon', so a learner who knows the parts can derive the referent. This place-name construction is a common, cross-linguistic pattern for naming historical battles, making it immediately understandable rather than idiomatic.

Etymology

The Battle of Maldon was a real fight in 991 near the town of Maldon when English fighters faced Danish Vikings on the shore, and an Old English 'poem' remembers their bravery. So today the name refers to that 'battle' and to the famous 'poem' that tells the story.