O. Henry

3 6.7

A name an American author used for short stories with surprise endings

proper noun
/oʊ ˈhɛnri/

Literature

: O. Henry

Did you know O. Henry wrote over 400 short stories?

Examples

O. Henry's unique style and humor have made his stories timeless classics.
I read an anthology of O. Henry tales during my vacation.
Many literature classes study O. Henry for his unique storytelling style.
The stories of O. Henry are famous for their clever twists and unexpected endings.
I just read a story by O. Henry.
O. Henry was renowned for his clever plots and surprise endings in his stories.
Many readers enjoy the works of O. Henry, especially his short stories filled with wit.

Surface Forms

O. Henry main

Morphology

O. + Henry

This is a proper name (a pen name) composed of an initial and a given name; its meaning (the identity of William Sydney Porter and his literary significance) is not derivable from the literal constituents 'O.' and 'Henry'. Recognizing it requires cultural or encyclopedic knowledge rather than knowledge of the component words, so a B1 learner would not infer the intended referent from the parts alone.

Etymology

O. Henry may come from a nickname William Sydney Porter picked up while he was in prison. One popular story says he liked the short name as his 'pen name', and that is the name readers still use for his short stories with surprise endings.