coleridge: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Academic, literary
Quick answer
What does “coleridge” mean?
Primarily a proper noun referring to Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834), a major English Romantic poet, literary critic, and philosopher.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Primarily a proper noun referring to Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834), a major English Romantic poet, literary critic, and philosopher.
Used attributively to describe things related to or characteristic of Coleridge or his work (e.g., Coleridgean criticism, a Coleridge poem). Can also refer to places or things named after him.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical across both varieties, though British academic contexts may reference him more frequently as a national literary figure.
Connotations
Connotes English Romanticism, poetic imagination ('Kubla Khan'), critical theory ('Biographia Literaria'), and opium use.
Frequency
Very low frequency in general discourse; almost exclusively found in specialized humanities contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “coleridge” in a Sentence
Proper noun (subject/object)Attributive noun (Coleridge + noun)Possessive (Coleridge's + noun)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “coleridge” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
American English
- [Not applicable as a verb]
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
American English
- [Not applicable as an adverb]
adjective
British English
- Her thesis explored the Coleridgian concept of the 'willing suspension of disbelief'.
- The lecture focused on Coleridgean literary criticism.
American English
- The essay took a Coleridgean approach to analyzing symbolic language.
- His ideas were distinctly Coleridgian in their philosophical depth.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Central to studies of Romanticism, literary criticism, and the history of ideas.
Everyday
Rarely used outside of educational or literary discussion.
Technical
Used in literary analysis and philosophical discourse regarding imagination and criticism.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “coleridge”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “coleridge”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “coleridge”
- Misspelling as 'Colleridge' or 'Colridge'.
- Using it as a common noun (e.g., 'He is a coleridge').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is exclusively a proper noun (a surname). It can be used attributively (e.g., 'Coleridge studies') or to form adjectives (Coleridgean).
He is best known for 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' and the fragment 'Kubla Khan'.
In British English, it's /ˈkəʊ.lə.rɪdʒ/ (KOH-luh-rij). In American English, it's /ˈkoʊ.lə.rɪdʒ/ (KOH-luh-rij). The first syllable rhymes with 'go'.
It describes something relating to or characteristic of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, his ideas, or his style, particularly his theories of imagination and poetry.
Primarily a proper noun referring to Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834), a major English Romantic poet, literary critic, and philosopher.
Coleridge is usually academic, literary in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms; 'Kubla Khan' is often referenced as an 'unfinished masterpiece' or 'opium dream']”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an old COAL barge (Coleridge) floating on a river, with a poet writing by candlelight aboard it.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE POET IS A VESSEL FOR IMAGINATION (from his concept of the 'esemplastic' power of imagination).
Practice
Quiz
What is Coleridge most famous for coining in literary criticism?