Citizen Genet
- proper noun
- Citizen Genet arrived in the United States in 1793, hoping to rally American support for France.
Examples
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The actions of Citizen Genet tested the neutrality of President Washington’s administration.
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Historians often cite Citizen Genet as a pivotal figure in early American foreign policy.
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The actions of Citizen Genet sparked debates in American politics.
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Did Citizen Genet really try to recruit American soldiers for France?
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Citizen Genet sought to persuade the U.S. to support France during the conflicts of the 1790s.
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Many consider Citizen Genet a controversial diplomat for his efforts to influence American politics.
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In his attempt to gain support for France, Citizen Genet challenged U.S. neutrality.
Surface Forms
Morphology
citizen + Genet
This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the noun 'citizen' and the surname 'Genet' does not allow a learner to infer the biographical meaning (French diplomat involved in 1790s US politics). Identifying such a referent requires world/historical knowledge rather than compositional understanding, so the expression is not derivable from its parts.
Etymology
Citizen Genet comes from a real French diplomat named Genet who arrived in the United States in 1793 and called himself 'citizen' after the French Revolution. He tried to get Americans to help France in its war with Britain, so the name reminds people of his attempt to pull the United States into the conflict.
