Hernando Cortez
- proper noun
:
Hernán Cortés
- The famous Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortez defeated the Aztecs.
Examples
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Hernando Cortez led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century.
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During the conquest, Hernando Cortez forged alliances with some indigenous tribes against the Aztecs.
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Many historians debate whether Hernando Cortez was a hero or a villain for his actions in Mexico.
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Hernando Cortez is often credited with the fall of the Aztec Empire.
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Hernando Cortez led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century.
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Hernando Cortez is often credited with the fall of the Aztec Empire.
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During the conquest, Hernando Cortez forged alliances with some indigenous tribes against the Aztecs.
Synonyms
6
7.2
Spanish soldier and leader who defeats the Aztecs and takes over Mexico
A Spanish soldier who led the conquest of the Aztec Empire in Mexico
A Spanish soldier and explorer who led the conquest of the Aztec Empire
A Spanish soldier who led the expedition that conquered the Aztec Empire
Surface Forms
Morphology
Hernando + Cortez
This is a referential proper name: the parts 'Hernando' and 'Cortez' are arbitrary name tokens that do not encode the information 'Spanish conquistador who defeated the Aztecs.' Identifying this person requires encyclopedic/historical knowledge rather than compositional understanding of the constituents, so a B1 learner would not be able to derive the meaning from the parts alone.
Etymology
Hernando Cortez was a Spanish soldier who in the early 1500s led a small army to the Aztec capital, made allies with some local groups, and captured the Aztec ruler to take control. Because of that dramatic story, his name is remembered as the man who 'conquered' the Aztec Empire and brought Mexico under Spanish rule.