Leo X

1 9.3

A pope from 1513 to 1521 who excommunicated Martin Luther

proper noun

: León X

Leo X excommunicated Martin Luther after Luther refused to recant his teachings.

Examples

Pope Leo X was a significant figure in the Renaissance.
As pope, Leo X played a significant role in the early years of the Protestant Reformation.
The Medici family produced several influential figures, including Leo X.
Did Leo X really excommunicate Martin Luther?
Leo X, known for his lavish lifestyle, was the son of Lorenzo de' Medici.
Leo X was the pope who excommunicated Martin Luther in 1521.
During his papacy, Leo X granted Henry VIII the title 'Defender of the Faith'.

Synonyms

Pope Leo X

vsLeo X

1 8.8

The pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1513 to 1521 who expelled Martin Luther

uses the shorter regnal form rather than the full office title

Giovanni de'Medici

vsLeo X

9.9

Italian pope who banned Martin Luther from the Church and gave Henry VIII the title Defender of the Faith

uses the papal regnal name instead of the birth name

Surface Forms

Leo X main

Morphology

Leo + x

The form 'Leo X' transparently signals a personal name plus the Roman numeral X (ten), so a learner who knows 'Leo' and 'X' can infer 'Leo the Tenth'. However, the specific referent (that this is a particular historical pope and his biographical details) cannot be derived from the constituents alone, making the expression only partially predictable.

Etymology

Leo X took a new name when he became pope: he chose Leo, meaning 'lion', and the letter X is the Roman numeral for 'ten', so he was the tenth pope called Leo. That's why Leo X refers to that specific Medici pope who led the church from 1513 to 1521.