Definition

Proper noun: - A surname of English origin: "Wilkinson" is primarily used as a family name. - Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson (1921-1996): A specific, notable person bearing this surname; a British chemist and Nobel laureate.

Usage

• As a surname:
  • The award was presented to Dr. Emily Wilkinson.
  • Many Wilkinsons have lived in this village for generations.
• Referring to the chemist:
  • Wilkinson shared the 1973 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
  • The Wilkinson's catalyst is named after him.

Advanced Usage

• "Wilkinson's catalyst": A common name in chemistry for chlorotris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium(I), a homogeneous hydrogenation catalyst.
  • The reaction proceeds efficiently using Wilkinson's catalyst.

Variants and Related Words

• Wilkinson (adj.): Used attributively to denote things named after or connected to Sir Geoffrey Wilkinson.
  • Wilkinson chemistry (referring to his field of work).

Synonyms

• None as a proper noun. For the individual, synonyms include: the chemist, the Nobel laureate (when context is clear).

Related Phrases

• None specific to the word itself as a phrasal verb or idiom.

Noun

1. English chemist honored for his research on pollutants in car exhausts (born in 1921)