Hendrik Verwoerd

1 9.9

A South African politician who was prime minister and promoted apartheid, the system that kept races separate

proper noun

: Hendrik Verwoerd

Many historians consider Hendrik Verwoerd to be the chief architect of apartheid.

Examples

Hendrik Verwoerd is often referred to as the 'Father of Apartheid' due to his influential policies.
The assassination of Hendrik Verwoerd marked a significant turning point in South African history.
Hendrik Verwoerd played a pivotal role in shaping South Africa's policy of racial segregation.
Many people criticize the policies of Hendrik Verwoerd.
Did Hendrik Verwoerd really believe in his vision for South Africa?
As the Prime Minister, Hendrik Verwoerd implemented laws that institutionalized racial discrimination.
The legacy of Hendrik Verwoerd continues to spark debates regarding ethics and governance in South Africa.

Surface Forms

Hendrik Verwoerd main

Morphology

Hendrik + Verwoerd

This is a personal name referring to a specific historical individual; the constituent tokens 'Hendrik' and 'Verwoerd' are proper names with no compositional meaning that would signal 'South African prime minister' or 'architect of apartheid.' Understanding this entry requires encyclopedic/historical knowledge rather than deriving meaning from the parts, so it is not predictable for a B1 learner who only knows the constituent words.

Etymology

Hendrik Verwoerd was a South African leader and prime minister who is often called the 'architect of apartheid'. He helped design and put in place laws that kept races separate, so his name now stands for the system that kept people of different races apart.