Saint Edward the Martyr

9.9

A king of England from 975 to 978 who died young and became a saint

proper noun

: San Eduardo el Mártir

Pilgrims visited the shrine of Saint Edward the Martyr in medieval England.

Examples

Many legends grew around the untimely death of Saint Edward the Martyr.
Saint Edward the Martyr was canonized for his piety and tragic death.
Did Saint Edward the Martyr really die at such a young age?
Saint Edward the Martyr was revered by many after his death.
Saint Edward the Martyr was canonized for his piety and tragic death.
Many legends grew around the untimely death of Saint Edward the Martyr.
Pilgrims visited the shrine of Saint Edward the Martyr in medieval England.

Synonyms

St. Edward the Martyr

vsSaint Edward the Martyr

9.9

A young king of England from 975 to 978 who became a saint after he was killed

uses the full written title without birth years

Surface Forms

Saint Edward the Martyr main

Morphology

saint + Edward + the + martyr

This is a compositional proper name: the words 'saint' and 'martyr' clearly indicate a person named Edward who is venerated and was killed or persecuted for beliefs. A B1 learner who knows the constituent words can infer the general meaning (a martyred saint called Edward), even though they would not know the specific historical details.

Etymology

Saint Edward the Martyr was a young English king who was killed in a palace plot and was seen by many as an innocent, holy victim, so people called him a 'martyr'. People later honoured him as a 'saint' and pilgrims visited his shrine, which is why we still use that title today.