Wilkie Collins

1 6.3

An English writer from the 1800s who wrote early detective novels like The Woman in White

proper noun

: Wilkie Collins

I've just finished reading Wilkie Collins's 'The Moonstone,' and found it fascinating.

Examples

I've just finished reading Wilkie Collins's 'The Moonstone,' and found it fascinating.
Wilkie Collins is often credited with writing one of the first English detective novels.
Many literature courses include Wilkie Collins alongside other Victorian novelists.
The famous author Wilkie Collins wrote many influential novels.
Have you read any works by Wilkie Collins?
Wilkie Collins is often credited with writing one of the first English detective novels.
Many literature courses include Wilkie Collins alongside other Victorian novelists.

Surface Forms

Wilkie Collins main

Morphology

Wilkie + Collins

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the constituent forms 'Wilkie' and 'Collins' does not let a B1 learner infer the biographical meaning (19th‑century English writer of detective novels). Proper names are arbitrary labels that require world/encyclopedic knowledge rather than compositional derivation, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Wilkie Collins was an English writer who helped invent the modern mystery story by hiding small clues in books like 'The Moonstone' so readers could try to solve the case. That's why his name is remembered today as a founder of 'detective novels'.