Ezra Cornell

1 7.8

An American businessman who helped build the telegraph system and helped start Cornell University in 1865

proper noun
/ˈɛzrə kɔrˈnɛl/

: Ezra Cornell

Ezra Cornell co-founded Cornell University in 1865, emphasizing the importance of accessible education.

Examples

The university was named after Ezra Cornell, one of its founders.
The university was founded by Ezra Cornell in 1865.
Ezra Cornell played a key role in revolutionizing communication by developing the country's telegraph system.
Ezra Cornell's commitment to education has had a lasting impact on American academia.
Ezra Cornell was a pioneer in telegraphy.
Ezra Cornell significantly contributed to the development of the telegraph system across the United States.
The legacy of Ezra Cornell is evident in the continued excellence of the university he helped establish.

Surface Forms

Ezra Cornell main

Morphology

Ezra + Cornell

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the constituent names 'Ezra' and 'Cornell' does not let a B1 learner infer biographical information (e.g. founder of a university). Proper nouns are arbitrary labels for individuals and therefore their referential meaning is not compositionally derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Ezra Cornell was a businessman in the 1800s who built long telegraph lines and gave land and money to help start a new university. Picture him on a pole fixing a wire while planning a school, and you can see why his name now stands for Cornell University and for the man who helped start it.