Marilyn Monroe
50
3.2
- proper noun
- /ˈmɛrɪlɪn mɒnˈroʊ/
- I still could not understand how the gorgeous Marilyn Monroe could have married such a dried-up, pruny old guy as Arthur Miller, though Mama said he was a brilliant egghead intellectual.
- dressed as Marilyn Monroe
Examples
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He was dressed in a brilliant gold-lame sheath and a shoulder-length Marilyn Monroe blonde wig.
Fiction book (1997) -
Marilyn Monroe smiled from underneath her cottony hair as if life were wonderful from where she stood.
Fiction book (1997) -
My mom said, "Maybe if I act like Marilyn Monroe, the ticket agent will put us in first class."
Fiction book (1997) -
Some people said Mama looked like Marilyn Monroe, but I didn't think so.
Fiction book (1997) -
There's a black and white photograph of Marilyn Monroe that I'd always liked.
Fiction book (1997) -
A giant poster of Marilyn Monroe frames Pamela.
Fiction book (1991) -
She was dressed for the stage as the legendary Marilyn Monroe, wearing the halter dress that icon (and a subway grate) made famous in The Seven Year Itch.
Fiction book (1997) -
Many actors today cite Marilyn Monroe as their inspiration due to her unique style and charisma.
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The iconic beauty of Marilyn Monroe continues to captivate audiences in her classic films.
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Marilyn Monroe became a symbol of femininity and glamour in the 1950s movie industry.
Surface Forms
Morphology
Marilyn + Monroe
This is a referential proper name whose meaning (a specific famous actress and cultural icon) cannot be derived from the constituent name parts. Knowing the words 'Marilyn' and 'Monroe' as names does not convey the biographical or cultural information, so learners must have prior world knowledge or exposure to understand the MWE.
Etymology
Marilyn Monroe was a 'stage name' she chose to sound like a movie star. She was 'born' Norma Jeane, and one popular story says she took Marilyn from an actress she admired and kept Monroe, her mother's last name, so today the name brings to mind the famous actress and style icon.