John L. Lewis

1 6.7

An American union leader who led the United Mine Workers and helped form the Congress of Industrial Organizations

proper noun

: John L. Lewis

John L. Lewis played a pivotal role in organizing labor strikes during the Great Depression.

Examples

As president of the United Mine Workers of America, John L. Lewis fought for better working conditions for miners.
Many historians consider John L. Lewis to be one of the most significant leaders in labor history.
The career of John L. Lewis greatly influenced American labor unions in the twentieth century.
John L. Lewis was influential.
Many admire John L. Lewis!
John L. Lewis was a key figure in the labor movement, advocating for workers' rights throughout his career.
Historians often cite John L. Lewis as a driving force behind the establishment of industrial unions in the 1930s.

Synonyms

John Llewellyn Lewis

vsJohn L. Lewis

8.1

An American labor leader who led the United Mine Workers and the Congress of Industrial Organizations

uses a middle initial instead of the full middle name

Surface Forms

John L. Lewis main

Morphology

John + L. + Lewis

This item is a proper name; knowing the constituents 'John', 'L.' and 'Lewis' only yields the person's name and gives no indication of his biographical role. The meaning 'United States labor leader (1880–1969) …' is encyclopedic, not compositional, so a B1 learner who knows the words would not be able to derive that information.

Etymology

John L. Lewis was a U.S. union leader who led coal miners and helped build large unions in the 1930s and 1940s. Picture him standing with miners on strike, fighting for better pay and safety, and you see why his name is linked with 'labor unions' and 'workers' rights' today.