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Glite Dictionary
Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman

10 3.2
An American woman who escaped slavery and helped others reach freedom
  • proper noun
  • /ˈhɛrɪət ˈtʌbmən/
: Harriet Tubman
  • Harriet Tubman is remembered for her courage in leading enslaved people to freedom.

Examples

  • Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland.

  • Many schools across the United States are named after Harriet Tubman.

  • The legacy of Harriet Tubman continues to inspire generations advocating for justice.

  • Did Harriet Tubman really lead so many to freedom?

  • Harriet Tubman is remembered for her courage in leading enslaved people to freedom.

  • Many schools across the United States are named after Harriet Tubman to honor her contributions.

  • The legacy of Harriet Tubman continues to inspire activists fighting for social justice.

Synonyms

Tubman
vsHarriet Tubman
12 6.1

An American woman who escaped slavery and led others to freedom via the Underground Railroad

is the full personal name used in formal or complete references

Surface Forms

Harriet Tubman main

Morphology

Harriet + Tubman

This is a referential proper name for a specific historical person; the identity and biographical meaning (American abolitionist who aided the Underground Railroad) cannot be compositionally derived from the constituents 'Harriet' and 'Tubman'. Proper nouns are referential and language-specific rather than semantically compositional, so a B1 learner who only knows the word parts would not infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Harriet Tubman was a real woman who escaped slavery and then risked her life to guide many people along secret night routes to 'freedom'. People called her a 'conductor' on the Underground Railroad, so today her name stands for 'bravery' and 'helping others'.