Eton College
- proper noun
- /ˈiːtən ˈkɒlɪdʒ/
:
Eton College
- The prestigious Eton College is located in Berkshire, England and has been influential since 1440.
Examples
-
From July 1995, William attended Eton College to study geography, biology and history of art.
-
Prince Harry also followed his brother William to Eton College.
-
Many British leaders, including Prime Ministers, have been educated at Eton College.
-
After graduating from Eton College, he went on to attend Oxford University.
Synonyms
7
6.9
A famous private boys' school in England that educates many leaders
Surface Forms
Morphology
Although the parts 'Eton' (a specific historic school) + 'college' yield the literal institution, the metonymic meaning referring to the British political elite/establishment depends on cultural and sociopolitical knowledge rather than compositional semantics. An average B1 learner who knows the constituent words would not reliably infer this figurative, culture-specific sense, so the expression is opaque.
Etymology
Eton College was started in 1440 by King Henry VI as a school for boys near Windsor, and its long history, strict uniforms and old traditions made it very well known; that's why the name means 'a prestigious British school'.