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Glite Dictionary
Helen Hayes

Helen Hayes

2 5.9
A famous American actress known for stage and film roles
  • proper noun
  • /ˈhɛlən heɪz/
: Helen Hayes
  • Many consider Helen Hayes the first lady of American theatre.

Examples

  • The theater community often refers to Helen Hayes as the 'First Lady of American Theatre.'

  • Helen Hayes won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in 'The Sin of Madelon Claudet.'

  • A Broadway theater was renamed the Helen Hayes Theatre in her honor.

  • Did you know Helen Hayes won an Oscar for her role in 'Airport'?

  • Many consider the Helen Hayes Theater a historic venue for Broadway productions.

  • After years of dedication, she was proud to be associated with the legacy of Helen Hayes.

  • Helen Hayes won numerous awards for her incredible performances in film and theatre.

Surface Forms

Helen Hayes main

Morphology

Helen + Hayes

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the constituent words 'Helen' and 'Hayes' does not convey that she was an acclaimed American actress or provide any biographical information. Proper names are referential and non-compositional, so a B1 learner who only knows the individual name tokens would not be able to derive the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Helen Hayes was a famous American actress who worked for many years on stage and in films. People called her the 'First Lady of American Theatre' and a theatre was named after her, so today Helen Hayes refers to that celebrated actress.