La Fayette
1
8.2
- proper noun
- /lɑː faɪˈɛt/
- La Fayette, a prominent French general, fought alongside George Washington during the American Revolution.
Examples
-
La Fayette played a key role in securing French support for the American Revolutionary cause.
-
La Fayette's close friendship with George Washington is well documented in American history.
-
Many cities in the United States are named after La Fayette in honor of his contributions.
-
General La Fayette played a crucial role in the American Revolution.
-
Did La Fayette really help George Washington?
-
In honor of his contributions to the United States, several public parks are named after La Fayette.
-
La Fayette is remembered for his passionate advocacy for liberty and democracy in both France and America.
Synonyms
18
5.1
A French family name used for people and places, especially the French general from the American Revolution
1
8.9
A French noble and soldier who helped the American colonies gain independence
Surface Forms
Morphology
La + Fayette
This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; the identity and historical meaning cannot be inferred from the parts 'La' and 'Fayette' (the parts are not meaningful lexical items in English or are surname elements). Proper names are arbitrary and require world-knowledge or exposure, so a B1 learner who only knows the constituent words would not be able to derive the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
La Fayette was a French noble and soldier, Gilbert du Motier, who sailed to America to fight with George Washington in the American Revolution and became a close friend of his. Because he helped the United States, many towns and streets were later named 'La Fayette', so the name usually refers to that French hero.