alfred the great: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No, he was King of Wessex, a kingdom in what is now southern England. He is often considered a key figure in the foundation of a unified England, but the first king to rule over a largely united England was his grandson, Æthelstan.

The epithet 'the Great' was not used widely until the 16th century. It recognises his exceptional success as a military defender against invasion, his administrative and legal reforms, and his revival of learning and culture during a turbulent period.

It is a later medieval legend, first recorded over a century after his death. While it illustrates the theme of a king sharing his people's hardships, historians regard it as folklore rather than factual history.

He believed in education in the English language (Old English). He personally translated, or commissioned the translation of, important Latin works on history, philosophy, and religion into Old English, and established a court school to educate the young nobility.

The 9th-century Anglo-Saxon king of Wessex (849–899), renowned for defending England against Viking invasions and promoting scholarship and legal reform.

Alfred the great is usually historical, academic, educated informal in register.

Alfred the great: in British English it is pronounced /ˌælfrɪd ðə ˈɡreɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌælfrɪd ðə ˈɡreɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.