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Glite Dictionary
Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde

11 4.4
A famous Irish writer and poet known for his plays and clever sayings
  • proper noun
: Oscar Wilde
  • Oscar Wilde's play
  • adaptation of Oscar Wilde's

Examples

  • Oscar Wilde once said that marriage is a triumph of imagination over intelligence.

    The Big Wedding (2013)

  • That's the wittiest remark since the passing of Oscar Wilde.

    The Cobweb (1955)

  • Today we are going to read some excerpts from works by Oscar Wilde.

  • You wrote your thesis about Oscar Wilde!

  • The life of Oscar Wilde has inspired many writers and artists.

Synonyms

Wilde
vsOscar Wilde
4 6.1

A famous Irish writer and playwright known for clever, sharp humour

is the fuller name form listing lifespan and a notable novel

Surface Forms

Oscar Wilde main

Morphology

Oscar + Wilde

This is a personal name (a proper noun) rather than a compositional phrase; knowing the constituents 'Oscar' and 'Wilde' does not let a B1 learner infer the biographical meaning (Irish writer, poet, wit). Proper names are arbitrary and language-specific, so the referential information is not derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Oscar Wilde was an Irish writer and poet famous for his quick, clever jokes and his showy, stylish clothes. He wrote the novel 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' and many witty plays, so his name makes people think of clever, funny writing and sharp humor.