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Glite Dictionary
William Rufus

William Rufus

1 8.9
A son of William the Conqueror who became king of England from 1087 to 1100
  • proper noun
: Guillermo Rufus
  • King William Rufus ruled England from 1087 until his death in 1100.

Examples

  • Many historians debate whether William Rufus was assassinated or died in a hunting accident.

  • The reign of William Rufus was marked by conflict with the church and his nobles.

  • King William Rufus succeeded his father, William the Conqueror, in 1087.

  • King William Rufus was known for his hunting skills.

  • William Rufus ruled England during a turbulent time.

  • Many historians believe William Rufus was involved in conflicts with the church.

  • The hunting skills of William Rufus were famous throughout his reign.

Surface Forms

William Rufus main

Morphology

William + Rufus

This is a historical proper name whose referent (the second son of William the Conqueror, King of England 1087–1100) cannot be derived from the constituents 'William' and 'Rufus'. Any possible clue in 'Rufus' (a Latin epithet meaning 'red') is obscure to an average B1 learner, so understanding the MWE requires specific cultural/historical knowledge rather than compositional inference.

Etymology

William Rufus gets his name from the Latin word for 'red'; Rufus was a nickname for someone with red hair or a red face. So people used William Rufus to mean the king William who had that red hair or face.