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Glite Dictionary
Boris Karloff

Boris Karloff

8 5.3
An English-born American actor famous for playing Frankenstein's monster in horror films
  • proper noun
  • /ˈbɔrɪs ˈkɑrloʊf/
: Boris Karloff
  • Boris Karloff became world-famous for portraying Frankenstein's monster in the 1931 film.

Examples

  • Many horror film fans consider Boris Karloff the definitive actor for classic monster roles.

  • Many horror film fans consider Boris Karloff the definitive actor for classic monster roles.

  • The museum features a special exhibit dedicated to Boris Karloff and his contributions to cinema.

  • Boris Karloff starred in many classic horror films.

  • Have you seen Boris Karloff in 'Frankenstein'?

  • Boris Karloff became world-famous for portraying Frankenstein's monster in the 1931 film.

  • The museum features a special exhibit dedicated to Boris Karloff and his contributions to cinema.

Synonyms

Karloff
vsBoris Karloff
15 8.5

An actor from England who moved to America and is famous for playing Frankenstein's monster in old horror films

is the full personal name used in formal or complete references

Surface Forms

Boris Karloff main

Morphology

Boris + Karloff

This is a proper name referring to a specific individual; the referential information (that he was an actor known for horror roles and dates) cannot be derived from the literal constituent names 'Boris' and 'Karloff'. Personal names are essentially arbitrary labels across languages, so knowing the parts does not yield the MWE's meaning or biographical details for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Boris Karloff was the stage name of an English-born actor who became famous for playing Frankenstein's monster in a 1931 film, wearing heavy makeup, a flat head and bolts in his neck. That strong, scary picture is why the name Boris Karloff today stands for 'a classic horror film actor'.