Benjamin Franklin Bridge

3.6

A bridge held up by cables across the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey

proper noun

: Puente Benjamin Franklin

Traffic was heavy on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge during the holiday weekend.

Examples

The Benjamin Franklin Bridge offers a stunning view of the Philadelphia skyline.
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge connects Philadelphia and Camden.
Cyclists often use the dedicated path on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge to cross the river.
Have you ever walked across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge?
As we drove across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, the view of the Philadelphia skyline took my breath away.
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge connects Philadelphia and Camden, offering a stunning view of the Delaware River.
Many tourists visit the Benjamin Franklin Bridge to take pictures of its impressive suspension design.

Surface Forms

Benjamin Franklin Bridge main

Morphology

Benjamin + Franklin + bridge

This is a toponymic, compositional name formed from the proper name 'Benjamin Franklin' plus the noun 'bridge', so the basic meaning (a bridge associated with Benjamin Franklin) is directly recoverable from the parts. Naming bridges after people is a common, cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will understand it denotes a bridge named for that person even if they do not know the exact location.

Etymology

The Benjamin Franklin Bridge is named after Benjamin Franklin, a famous leader and inventor from Philadelphia. Imagine his name on a big bridge with tall towers and cables that 'connects' Philadelphia and Camden across the Delaware River, so the name tells you about that important crossing.