Edgar Lee Masters

1 7.1

An American poet best known for Spoon River Anthology

proper noun
/ˈɛdɡər li mɑːstərz/

Literature

: Edgar Lee Masters

The graveyard voices in Edgar Lee Masters' 'Spoon River Anthology' captivated countless readers.

Examples

The famous poet Edgar Lee Masters wrote 'Spoon River Anthology.'
Many students study the poetry of Edgar Lee Masters in literature classes.
Edgar Lee Masters is celebrated for his revealing portrayal of small-town American life.
Edgar Lee Masters was an influential poet.
Edgar Lee Masters is celebrated for his revealing portrayal of small-town American life.
Many students study the poetry of Edgar Lee Masters in literature classes.
The graveyard voices in Edgar Lee Masters' 'Spoon River Anthology' captivated countless readers.

Surface Forms

Edgar Lee Masters main

Morphology

Edgar + Lee + Masters

This item is a personal name (proper noun); the identity and biographical information ('an American poet, 1869–1950') cannot be derived from the constituent names 'Edgar', 'Lee', and 'Masters'. Proper names are arbitrary labels and do not transparently encode profession or dates, so a B1 learner knowing the constituent words would not infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Edgar Lee Masters is an American poet best known for his book of poems 'Spoon River Anthology'. In that book, people from a small town speak from their graves like many small 'voices', so picture a writer named 'Masters' who 'masters' many voices to help you remember him.