Sinclair Lewis

2 6.0

An American novelist who wrote sharp, funny stories about middle-class life

proper noun
/sɪŋˈklɛr ˈluːɪs/

: Sinclair Lewis

Sinclair Lewis was the first American writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Examples

Many critics praise Sinclair Lewis for his satirical depiction of early twentieth-century America.
Her thesis focused on the impact of Sinclair Lewis on modern American fiction.
The works of Sinclair Lewis are often discussed in literature classes.
Did you read anything by Sinclair Lewis during your studies?
Sinclair Lewis was the first American writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Many critics praise Sinclair Lewis for his satirical depiction of early twentieth-century America.
Her thesis focused on the impact of Sinclair Lewis on modern American fiction.

Surface Forms

Sinclair Lewis main

Morphology

Sinclair + Lewis

This is a proper name referring to a specific individual; the referential meaning ('an American novelist known for sharp satire') is not derived from the constituent surnames. Knowing the words 'Sinclair' and 'Lewis' does not allow a B1 learner to infer the biographical/professional information, so the expression is non-compositional and unpredictable.

Etymology

Sinclair Lewis is the name of an American writer who used sharp, often funny stories to show the problems of middle-class life in small towns. He was the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, so his name now stands for 'a novelist known for sharp satire of middle-class life'.