Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • William Butler Yeats: An Irish poet and dramatist, widely considered one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and co-founded the Abbey Theatre. His work is known for its lyrical beauty, symbolic depth, and engagement with Irish mythology, politics, and spiritualism.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The poetry of W. B. Yeats often explores themes of Irish identity and mysticism.
  • We studied W. B. Yeats's play The Countess Cathleen in our literature class.
  • The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to W. B. Yeats in 1923.

Advanced Usage

• "Yeatsian" (adj): Characteristic of or resembling the style, themes, or ideas found in the works of W. B. Yeats.
  • The poem had a Yeatsian quality, blending personal reflection with mythological symbolism.

Variants and Related Words

• Yeats: A common shortened form of the full name.
  • The lecture focused on the later works of Yeats.
• William Butler Yeats: The full name.

Synonyms

• The poet Yeats: A common referential synonym.
• The Irish poet: A descriptive synonym when the context is clear.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• While there are no phrasal verbs or common idioms directly formed from the name "W. B. Yeats," his work has contributed phrases to the language, such as "the centre cannot hold" (from his poem "The Second Coming"), which is often cited to describe societal chaos.

Noun

1. Irish poet and dramatist (1865-1939)