Teresa of Avila

1 8.4

A Spanish nun and writer known for changing the Catholic Church and now a Catholic saint

proper noun

: Teresa de Ávila

The writings of Teresa of Avila have influenced Christian mysticism for centuries.

Examples

She studied the life and teachings of Teresa of Avila as part of her theology course.
Many pilgrims visit the birthplace of Teresa of Avila each year in Spain.
Teresa of Avila was a saint.
Did Teresa of Avila write 'The Interior Castle'?
One of the most influential figures in Christian mysticism is Teresa of Avila, who wrote extensively on prayer and meditation.
The teachings of Teresa of Avila continue to inspire many spiritual seekers today.
In her writings, Teresa of Avila emphasized the importance of inner silence for a deeper connection with God.

Synonyms

Saint Teresa of Avila

vsTeresa of Avila

1 8.6

A Spanish nun who reformed her religious order and wrote about prayer

is the same figure noted as author of spiritual classics rather than highlighting order

Surface Forms

Teresa of Avila main

Morphology

Teresa + of + Avila

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person (a Spanish mystic and saint); knowing the parts 'Teresa', 'of', and 'Avila' only signals a personal name or a person from Ávila but does not allow a B1 learner to infer the biographical meaning (dates, role, sainthood, or authorship). Proper names are not compositionally derived from their constituents, so the full referential meaning is unpredictable without prior exposure or background knowledge.

Etymology

Teresa of Avila is the name of a woman called Teresa who was born in the Spanish town of Avila and became a famous 'mystic' and 'saint' who wrote about prayer. So today Teresa of Avila refers to that Spanish saint and her writings on spiritual life.