matthews

matthews — biographical name

1. the surname of (James) Brander Matthews, an American university professor and li

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Definition

the surname of (James) Brander Matthews, an American university professor and literary critic active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who taught at Columbia University and wrote about drama, fiction, and the theatre.

Example

Salma wrote a term paper on Brander Matthews's influence on American theatre criticism.

biographical reference in academic writing

The library still holds a collection of Matthews's letters to other writers of his time.

Etymology

HebrewGreekLatinEnglish

Matthews is an English patronymic surname meaning 'son of Matthew'. The given name Matthew comes from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning 'gift of Yahweh'. Brander Matthews was an influential figure in early American literary scholarship.