Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • Portuguese navigator in the service of Spain: Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer who sailed under the Spanish flag.
   • Leader of the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe: He commanded the first maritime expedition that successfully sailed around the world, proving the Earth was round and interconnected by oceans.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Spain in 1519 with five ships.
  • The Strait of Magellan is named after the explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
  • Although Ferdinand Magellan died during the voyage, his expedition completed the first circumnavigation.

Advanced Usage

• "The Magellan Expedition": Refers specifically to the historic voyage (1519-1522) led by Ferdinand Magellan and, after his death, completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano.

  • The Magellan Expedition drastically changed European understanding of global geography.

• "In the wake of Magellan": A phrase meaning following the path or example of the explorer.

  • Many navigators sailed in the wake of Magellan, seeking new trade routes.

Variants and Related Words

• Magellanic (adj): Of or relating to Ferdinand Magellan or his discoveries.
  • The Magellanic Clouds are two irregular dwarf galaxies visible in the Southern Hemisphere, named after Magellan because his crew recorded them.

Synonyms

• Explorer: A person who explores an unfamiliar area.
• Navigator: A person who directs the route or course of a ship.

Related Phrases

• To circumnavigate the globe: To travel all the way around the Earth.
  • Ferdinand Magellan's fleet was the first to circumnavigate the globe.

Related Idioms

• "A Magellan-like journey": Used metaphorically to describe a pioneering, long, and challenging endeavor into the unknown.
  • The startup's path to success was a Magellan-like journey through uncharted business territory.

Noun

1. Portuguese navigator in the service of Spain; he commanded an expedition that was the first to circumnavigate the world (1480-1521)