Desmond Tutu

6 4.6

A South African bishop and human rights leader known for opposing apartheid

proper noun

: Desmond Tutu

Desmond Tutu received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his efforts to end apartheid.

Examples

The legacy of Desmond Tutu continues to inspire activists worldwide.
Many look up to Desmond Tutu as a symbol of forgiveness and reconciliation.
The late Desmond Tutu was a symbol of hope in South Africa.
Did you know that Desmond Tutu won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984?
Desmond Tutu received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his efforts to end apartheid.
Many look up to Desmond Tutu as a symbol of forgiveness and reconciliation.
The legacy of Desmond Tutu continues to inspire activists worldwide.

Surface Forms

Desmond Tutu main

Morphology

Desmond + Tutu

This is a proper name referring to a specific individual; the referent (the South African bishop and activist) cannot be derived from the constituent tokens. The components do not carry compositional lexical meaning that would let a B1 learner infer the identity or biography, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Desmond Tutu was a South African church leader who spoke out against apartheid and helped people forgive each other after years of racial rule. Because he used peaceful words and actions to stand for fairness and healing, his name often stands for 'human rights' and 'reconciliation'.