Sam Houston

4 5.5

A United States leader who led Texas to independence from Mexico and became its Republic president

proper noun
/sæm ˈhjuːstən/

: Sam Houston

Sam Houston was a great leader.
Sam Houston Parkway
Sam Houston State

Examples

Many monuments in Texas commemorate the achievements of Sam Houston.
The city of Houston, Texas, is named after Sam Houston, a key figure in the state's early history.
Sam Houston played a crucial role in securing Texas's independence from Mexico.
The famous Sam Houston led the Texas Revolution.
In 1836, Sam Houston led the Texian Army to victory at the Battle of San Jacinto, securing Texas's independence from Mexico.
Sam Houston served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas, significantly shaping its early government.
Renowned for his leadership, Sam Houston played a pivotal role in Texas's fight for independence during the 1830s.

Synonyms

Samuel Houston

vsSam Houston

1 6.8

A 19th-century American politician and soldier who helped Texas become independent and join the United States

focuses on leading the independence fight and serving as president of the republic

Surface Forms

Sam Houston main

Morphology

Sam + Houston

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the constituents 'Sam' and 'Houston' does not convey the biographical meaning (politician and military leader). A B1 learner who knows the words will not be able to derive the referent or its historical role from the parts, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Sam Houston was a soldier and politician who led the fight to help Texas win its 'independence' from Mexico and later became president of the new Republic of Texas. Because people saw him as the key hero of that time, the city of Houston was named after him, so his name now stands for Texas history and many place names.