Max Muller

1 8.1

A British scholar born in Germany who studied Sanskrit and religions from Asia

proper noun

: Max Muller

Max Muller contributed significantly to the Western understanding of Eastern religions through his translations and commentaries.

Examples

As a professor at Oxford, Max Muller advanced the academic study of language and myth.
Many modern scholars of Sanskrit cite Max Muller as a foundational figure in their field.
The famous scholar Max Muller contributed greatly to linguistics.
Did Max Muller write extensively about comparative religion?
Max Muller is celebrated for his seminal contributions to the study of comparative religion and linguistics.
As an influential scholar, Max Muller dedicated his life to understanding and interpreting Sanskrit texts.
Many institutions recognize Max Muller for his role in establishing Sanskrit studies as an academic discipline.

Surface Forms

Max Muller main

Morphology

Max + Muller

This item is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; the biographical meaning (a British philologist and Orientalist) cannot be derived from the constituent words 'Max' and 'Muller' alone. A B1 learner who knows the individual words would not infer the person's identity or scholarly role without prior exposure or world knowledge, so the expression is non-compositional for learners.

Etymology

Max Muller was a German-born scholar in the 1800s who translated many 'Sanskrit' texts for readers in England. Imagine him as a bridge carrying old Eastern books to Oxford — that image helps explain why his name is linked with early Western study of Eastern languages and religions.