Saint Edward the Confessor
1
9.7
- proper noun
- Pilgrims once visited the tomb of Saint Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey.
Examples
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Many historians regard Saint Edward the Confessor as one of England's last Anglo-Saxon kings.
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The feast day of Saint Edward the Confessor is celebrated on October 13th.
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Many people visit Saint Edward the Confessor every year.
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Did Saint Edward the Confessor really build Westminster Abbey?
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Many historians regard Saint Edward the Confessor as one of England's last Anglo-Saxon kings.
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Pilgrims once visited the tomb of Saint Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey.
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The feast day of Saint Edward the Confessor is celebrated on October 13th.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A king of England from 1042 to 1066 who was very religious and started Westminster Abbey
Surface Forms
Morphology
saint + Edward + the + Confessor
This is a proper name whose parts ('saint' + 'Edward' + 'the Confessor') let a learner infer it refers to a saintly person named Edward and that 'the Confessor' is an epithet, so some meaning (that he is a saint and has that title) is recoverable. However, the specific historical identity and cultural details (that he was King of England, founder of Westminster Abbey, dates, canonization) are not derivable from the constituents alone, so the expression is only partially transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Saint Edward the Confessor was a king known for his deep faith who built Westminster Abbey and whose tomb drew many pilgrims. He was called the Confessor because his holy life made people think of him as a 'saint', and that is why his name today recalls his religious reputation.