Michel de Montaigne
1
9.3
- proper noun
- /miˈʃɛl də mɔ̃ˈtɛɪn/
- Michel de Montaigne is often regarded as the father of the modern essay due to his innovative writing style.
Examples
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In his influential works, Montaigne explored themes of philosophy and human nature.
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Many people study Montaigne's essays to gain insight into Renaissance thought and personal reflection.
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So too would Michel de Montaigne, who four centuries ago criticized as "jugglery ... those complications and convolutions of language with which the scholars drive us into a corner" (1958, 294).
Academic text (1998)
Synonyms
3
9.8
A French writer and thinker who wrote personal essays about human life
1
9.0
A French writer and thinker from the 1500s who is known for starting the modern essay
Surface Forms
Morphology
Michel + de + Montaigne
This is a proper name composed of given name + French particle + surname; a learner who knows 'Michel' and 'de' will recognize it as a French personal name and infer it refers to a person of French origin, but they cannot derive the specific meaning 'French writer, originator of the modern essay' from the parts alone. The reference and biographical information are encyclopedic rather than compositional, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Michel de Montaigne comes from his family and their castle called Montaigne, a word that means 'mountain' in French. He wrote short, personal pieces where he asked simple questions about life, and because he started this kind of writing, his name is linked to the modern 'essay'.