Commissaire Maigret
1
9.3
- proper noun
- Literature
- Georges Simenon's novels featuring Commissaire Maigret have been adapted for television many times.
Examples
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In each case, Commissaire Maigret relies on intuition and empathy to catch the criminal.
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Have you read any novels featuring Commissaire Maigret?
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Many fans of detective fiction consider Commissaire Maigret one of the most realistic and complex characters in the genre.
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The brilliant Commissaire Maigret solved the case quickly.
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Georges Simenon's novels featuring Commissaire Maigret have been adapted for television many times.
-
In each case, Commissaire Maigret relies on intuition and empathy to catch the criminal.
-
Many fans of detective fiction consider Commissaire Maigret one of the most realistic and complex characters in the genre.
Synonyms
1
8.1
A calm French detective who solves crimes in Georges Simenon's books
A fictional French police detective in books by Georges Simenon
Surface Forms
Morphology
Commissaire + Maigret
The form is a title + surname (French commissaire = commissioner/inspector) so a learner who knows the constituents can infer it refers to a person holding a police/official rank named Maigret. However, the specific encyclopedic knowledge that this is Georges Simenon's fictional detective (and its cultural details) cannot be derived from the parts alone, so full understanding requires extra background.
Etymology
Commissaire Maigret comes from French writer Georges Simenon who created the character. Commissaire is the police title meaning 'chief inspector' and Maigret is the calm detective who smokes a pipe, so the name now stands for that famous fictional 'detective'.