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Glite Dictionary
William Shockley

William Shockley

1 7.0
A physicist born in England who helped invent the transistor
  • proper noun
: William Shockley
  • William Shockley was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1956 for his role in inventing the transistor.

Examples

  • The inventor William Shockley is known for his work on transistors.

  • The work of William Shockley revolutionized the semiconductor industry.

  • Many consider William Shockley a key figure in the development of modern electronics.

  • Did William Shockley really win the Nobel Prize in Physics?

  • William Shockley was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1956 for his role in inventing the transistor.

  • Many consider William Shockley a key figure in the development of modern electronics.

  • The work of William Shockley revolutionized the semiconductor industry.

Surface Forms

William Shockley main

Morphology

William + Shockley

This is a proper name referring to a specific individual; knowing the constituent tokens 'William' and 'Shockley' does not allow a B1 learner to infer that he was a physicist or inventor. Proper names are arbitrary and non-compositional, so the meaning cannot be derived from the parts.

Etymology

William Shockley was one of the scientists who helped invent the 'transistor', a small electronic part that can turn electric signals on or off and make them stronger. That's why his name is remembered as a key figure in creating modern electronics and computers.