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Glite Dictionary
Seattle Slew

Seattle Slew

1 7.7
A famous American racehorse that won the Triple Crown in 1977
  • proper noun
  • /siˈætəl slu/
: Seattle Slew
  • Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown in 1977, becoming one of the most celebrated racehorses in history.
  • Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew
  • Seattle Slew, 1977 winner

Examples

  • The legacy of Seattle Slew continues through his many successful offspring.

  • Seattle Slew was the tenth horse to win the Triple Crown of American thoroughbred racing.

  • Many racing fans consider Seattle Slew one of the greatest horses in history.

  • In 1977, Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown.

  • Did Seattle Slew really win the Kentucky Derby?

  • In 1977, Seattle Slew became the first undefeated horse to win the Triple Crown in over 20 years.

  • During his racing career, Seattle Slew won numerous awards, including the prestigious Triple Crown.

Surface Forms

Seattle Slew main

Morphology

Seattle + Slew

This is a proper name for a specific racehorse, so the meaning 'a famous American thoroughbred that won the Triple Crown in 1977' cannot be inferred from the constituents 'Seattle' and 'slew'. Proper names are arbitrary and language-specific, so even learners who know the individual words would not predict this referent or its historical significance.

Etymology

Seattle Slew was named by joining Seattle and slew, where slew can mean a sudden, powerful turn or a large amount. One popular story says this image of quick power fit the horse well, and because Seattle Slew won the Triple Crown in 1977 the name now makes people think of a top 'champion' racehorse.