Lavrentiy Beria

1 9.9

A Soviet secret police leader under Stalin who ordered mass arrests and was later executed

proper noun

: Lavrentiy Beria

After Stalin's death, Lavrentiy Beria was arrested and executed by his rivals.

Examples

Lavrentiy Beria was known for his ruthless methods while leading the Soviet secret police.
Lavrentiy Beria played a significant role in the political purges during Stalin's regime.
Historians still debate the extent of Lavrentiy Beria's influence within the Soviet government.
The notorious Lavrentiy Beria was a key figure in Stalin's regime.
Did Lavrentiy Beria really orchestrate the Great Purge?
During his time in power, Lavrentiy Beria was infamous for his involvement in political repression.
Many historians consider Lavrentiy Beria one of the most feared figures in Soviet history.

Synonyms

Beria

vsLavrentiy Beria

4 9.8

A Soviet secret police leader under Stalin who was executed after Stalin's death

focuses on running the security apparatus and role in political purges

Surface Forms

Lavrentiy Beria main

Morphology

Lavrentiy + Beria

This is a referential proper name for a historical person rather than a compositional phrase; the meaning 'Soviet chief of secret police under Stalin' is encyclopedic information, not derivable from the name parts. A B1 learner who only knows the constituent name elements would not be able to infer that role without prior factual knowledge, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Lavrentiy Beria was the head of Stalin's secret police who used arrests and executions to control people. Because of his ruthless actions, his name often brings to mind 'fear' or is used to mean 'a ruthless security chief' today.