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Simon Bolivar

Simon Bolivar

6.5
A Venezuelan leader who helped many South American countries become independent from Spain and gave his name to Bolivia
  • proper noun
  • /ˈsaɪmən boʊˈlɪvər/
translation icon : Simón Bolívar
  • The country of Bolivia is named after Simon Bolivar in recognition of his leadership.

Examples

  • The country of Bolivia is named after Simon Bolivar in recognition of his leadership.

  • Simon Bolivar is remembered as one of the great heroes of Latin American independence.

  • Many South American countries honor Simon Bolivar with statues and city names.

  • The legacy of Simon Bolivar is celebrated throughout Latin America.

  • Did Simon Bolivar really liberate six countries?

  • Simon Bolivar is remembered as one of the great heroes of Latin American independence.

  • Many South American countries honor Simon Bolivar with statues and city names.

Synonyms

Bolivar
vsSimon Bolivar
7 5.9

A Venezuelan leader who led several South American countries to independence from Spain

is the fuller form including both personal names rather than the short surname
Bolívar
vsSimon Bolivar
1 5.6

A Venezuelan leader who fought for independence in northern South America

focuses on broader role and founding a country rather than just northern campaigns
El Libertador
vsSimon Bolivar
8.1

A title for Simón Bolívar, a leader who fought for South American independence

refers to the person himself rather than a descriptive honorary title

Surface Forms

Morphology

Simon + Bolivar

This is a proper name for a historical person; the identity and biographical meaning cannot be derived compositionally from the constituent words. Knowing 'Simon' as a personal name or 'Bolivar' as a surname does not allow a B1 learner to infer his role as a South American independence leader, so the expression is not transparent.

Etymology

The person Simon Bolivar was a Venezuelan military and political leader who fought to free many parts of South America from Spanish rule in the early 1800s. The country 'Bolivia' was named after him to honour his role, so his name now often stands for 'freedom' and 'independence' in the region.