Thomas Robert Malthus

1 9.6

An English economist who argued population grows faster than food, causing hunger

proper noun

: Thomas Robert Malthus

Thomas Robert Malthus proposed that unchecked population growth would lead to famine and societal conflict.

Examples

Thomas Robert Malthus is best known for his influential essay on the principle of population.
Many modern economists still reference Thomas Robert Malthus when discussing population growth and resources.
The theories of Thomas Robert Malthus had a lasting impact on economic and social policy.
Thomas Robert Malthus was a prominent figure in economic theory.
Many of Thomas Robert Malthus' theories are still discussed today.
The ideas of Thomas Robert Malthus about food scarcity continue to influence contemporary debates on sustainability.
In his writings, Thomas Robert Malthus explained how population growth could exceed agricultural production.

Surface Forms

Thomas Robert Malthus main

Morphology

Thomas + Robert + Malthus

This is a full proper name; knowing the individual given names and surname only indicates 'a person' but provides no information about occupation, historical period, or the Malthusian theory. The biographical and conceptual meaning (English economist and demographer known for his population theory) cannot be derived from the name parts, so a B1 learner who only knows the constituents would not infer the MWE's full meaning.

Etymology

Thomas Robert Malthus was an English thinker who warned that the number of people can grow faster than the amount of food. He pictured people multiplying quickly while food increased slowly, so his name now stands for the idea that 'population grows faster than food'.