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Glite Dictionary
Hernan Cortez

Hernan Cortez

6.7
A Spanish soldier and explorer who led the conquest of the Aztec Empire
  • proper noun
  • /ˈhɜrnən kɔrˈtɛz/
translation icon : Hernán Cortés
  • The famous Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortez defeated the Aztecs.

Examples

  • The actions of Hernan Cortez had a profound impact on the history and culture of Mexico.

  • Many historians debate the legacy of Hernan Cortez and his conquest of the Aztecs.

  • Hernan Cortez is often credited with the fall of the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century.

  • Hernan Cortez was born in 1485.

  • Hernan Cortez is often credited with the fall of the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century.

  • Many historians debate the legacy of Hernan Cortez and his conquest of the Aztecs.

  • The actions of Hernan Cortez had a profound impact on the history and culture of Mexico.

Synonyms

Cortes
vsHernan Cortez
6 7.2

Spanish soldier and leader who defeats the Aztecs and takes over Mexico

gives the full name rather than only the surname
Hernan Cortes
vsHernan Cortez
6.7

A Spanish soldier who led the expedition that conquered the Aztec Empire

uses the alternative surname spelling with a z ending
Hernando Cortez
vsHernan Cortez
7.2

A Spanish leader known for defeating the Aztec Empire and making Mexico part of Spain

uses the shorter given name instead of the longer form
Hernando Cortes
vsHernan Cortez
6.6

A Spanish soldier who led the conquest of the Aztec Empire in Mexico

uses the shorter given name and the z surname spelling instead

Surface Forms

Hernan Cortez main

Morphology

Hernan + Cortez

This is a proper name referring to a historical person; the constituent tokens are personal names that do not contribute compositional lexical meaning, so a B1 learner who only knows the names cannot infer that this refers to a Spanish conquistador who defeated the Aztecs. Identifying this MWE requires encyclopedic or cultural-historical knowledge rather than knowledge of the parts, so it is not transparent.

Etymology

Hernan Cortez was a Spanish conqueror in the early 1500s who led a small force into Mexico and defeated the powerful Aztec Empire. One famous image says he burned his ships so his men could not go back, and that dramatic story helps explain why his name is linked to the Spanish conquest and big changes in Mexico.