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Glite Dictionary
Wilhelm II

Wilhelm II

8.8
The last German emperor and King of Prussia who ruled Germany until 1918 and led it in World War I
  • proper noun
translation icon : Wilhelm II
  • Wilhelm II was the last German Emperor, reigning from 1888 to 1918 during a tumultuous period in history.

Examples

  • After the 1918 revolution, Wilhelm II abdicated and went into exile in the Netherlands.

  • Historians debate to what extent Wilhelm II was responsible for the outbreak of the war.

  • Wilhelm II played a critical role in the political developments leading up to World War I.

  • Wilhelm II was a significant historical figure.

  • Did Wilhelm II influence the start of World War I?

  • Following World War I, Wilhelm II sought refuge in the Netherlands after his abdication.

  • Many historians analyze Wilhelm II's decisions to understand their impact on the events of World War I.

Synonyms

Kaiser Wilhelm
vsWilhelm II
8.2

German ruler and King of Prussia from 1888 to 1918 who led Germany during World War I

is the formal personal name for that same historical ruler
Kaiser Bill
vsWilhelm II
  • Archaic
9.6

A name people use to mock Wilhelm II, the German emperor in World War I

is the proper historical name rather than an informal English nickname

Surface Forms

Wilhelm II main

Morphology

Wilhelm + II

As a proper name composed of a personal name and a Roman numeral, a B1 learner who knows 'II' as 'the second' can infer this labels the second person named Wilhelm (ordinal identification). However, the specific biographical meaning (that he was the last German Emperor, his reign dates, and role in WWI) cannot be derived from the constituents, so the expression is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Wilhelm II shows he was the second ruler called Wilhelm and was the German emperor from 1888 until 1918. Because he 'abdicated', meaning he gave up the throne, and left Germany after World War I, his name now stands for that last emperor and the end of imperial Germany.