Sir Matthew Flinders

1 7.7

A British explorer and sailor who mapped much of Australia's coastline and showed it was a continent

proper noun

: Sir Matthew Flinders

The famous British explorer Sir Matthew Flinders mapped the Australian coastline.

Examples

Sir Matthew Flinders is credited with being the first to circumnavigate and map the coastline of Australia.
The achievements of Sir Matthew Flinders are commemorated in place names across Australia.
Many historians regard Sir Matthew Flinders as one of the most important explorers of the early 19th century.
Did Sir Matthew Flinders really prove that Australia was a continent?
Sir Matthew Flinders is credited with being the first to circumnavigate and map the coastline of Australia.
Many historians regard Sir Matthew Flinders as one of the most important explorers of the early 19th century.
The famous British explorer Sir Matthew Flinders mapped the Australian coastline.

Synonyms

Matthew Flinders

vsSir Matthew Flinders

7.5

A British explorer known for first mapping much of the Australian coast and making the name Australia popular

focuses on proving the land is a continent rather than popularizing a name

Surface Forms

Sir Matthew Flinders main

Morphology

Sir + Matthew + Flinders

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the constituents ('Sir' as an honorific and the personal names) does not allow a B1 learner to infer the encyclopedic meaning that he was an explorer who mapped Australia. While 'Sir' signals an honorific title, it does not convey profession or actions, so the referent-specific meaning is not compositionally derivable and must be learned.

Etymology

Sir Matthew Flinders sailed all the way around Australia and 'mapped' its coast, showing that the land was one large continent. So people remember him for those maps and his name appears on many places and maps today.