Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Willie Mays

Willie Mays

1 5.6
A famous American baseball player known as one of the greatest in the sport
  • proper noun
  • /ˈwɪli meɪz/
translation icon : Willie Mays
  • Growing up, my father idolized Willie Mays and collected his baseball cards.
  • Hank Aaron and Willie Mays
  • Willie Mays Plaza
  • Willie Mays joined Aaron

Examples

  • Growing up in the 1950s, many baseball fans dreamed of watching Willie Mays hit home runs.

  • The legendary catch made by Willie Mays in the 1954 World Series is still talked about today.

  • Many consider Willie Mays to be the greatest center fielder in baseball history.

  • Many consider Willie Mays the greatest baseball player of all time.

  • Did you see Willie Mays play in the 1954 World Series?

  • Willie Mays is celebrated for his incredible fielding skills and charismatic personality.

  • During his career, Willie Mays became a symbol of excellence in American baseball.

Synonyms

Say Hey Kid
vsWillie Mays
3 9.4

A friendly nickname people use for baseball player Willie Mays

is the formal full name rather than the informal nickname

Surface Forms

Willie Mays main

Morphology

Willie + Mays

This is a proper name composed of a given name and surname; the literal constituents carry no descriptive meaning that would indicate 'famous American baseball player'. Proper names are arbitrary labels whose referent (a specific person and their notability) cannot be derived from the parts, so a B1 learner who only knows the words 'Willie' and 'Mays' would not be able to infer the MWE's meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

Willie Mays was a famous American baseball player known for an incredible running catch in the 1954 World Series called 'the catch' and for being great at both hitting and fielding. That clear image of him making spectacular plays is why people still call him 'one of the greatest' players today.