thomson
thomson — biographical name
1. George Paget Thomson, a British physicist who shared a 1937 Nobel Prize for show
George Paget Thomson, a British physicist who shared a 1937 Nobel Prize for showing that electrons behave like waves when they pass through a crystal.
George Paget Thomson won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1937 for his electron diffraction experiments.
subject + won + [prize] for + [achievement]
The physics professor asked the class to compare Thomson's findings with those of his father, J.J. Thomson.
In a 1927 experiment, George Paget Thomson proved that a beam of electrons can create a diffraction pattern.
in + [year] + [person] + proved + [that-clause]
When Thomson shared the 1937 Nobel Prize, his work confirmed a key prediction of quantum theory.
when + [event], + [achievement]
2. James Thomson (1700–1748), a Scottish poet best known for his long nature poem '
James Thomson (1700–1748), a Scottish poet best known for his long nature poem 'The Seasons,' which influenced the Romantic movement in English literature.
James Thomson published 'The Seasons' in installments between 1726 and 1730.
published + [work] + in + [time phrase]
Tamar read Thomson's poem 'Winter' for her English literature class last semester.
Many literary historians consider Thomson a key influence on later Romantic poets like Wordsworth.
consider + [person] + [noun phrase] + influence
Dario found Thomson's descriptions of nature surprisingly fresh for an 18th-century poem.
3. James Thomson (1834–1882), a Scottish poet who published under the pen name B. V
James Thomson (1834–1882), a Scottish poet who published under the pen name B. V. (Bysshe Vanolis) and is remembered for his dark, pessimistic poem 'The City of Dreadful Night.'
James Thomson, using the pen name B. V., published 'The City of Dreadful Night' in 1874.
using the pen name + [pseudonym]
Faisal wrote his term paper on the pessimistic imagery in Thomson's 'The City of Dreadful Night.'
Scholars often describe Thomson's work as a bridge between Victorian poetry and early modernist verse.
describe + [work] + as + [noun phrase]
Caio compared Thomson's bleak tone in 'The City of Dreadful Night' to Thomas Hardy's late poetry.
Usage Note
This poet (1834–1882) is a different person from James Thomson the 18th-century poet. To avoid confusion, scholars often refer to the earlier one as 'Thomson of The Seasons' and the later one as 'B. V. Thomson.'
4. Sir John Arthur Thomson, a Scottish naturalist who wrote widely accessible books
Sir John Arthur Thomson, a Scottish naturalist who wrote widely accessible books about biology, including 'The Biology of Birds' and 'The Outline of Science.'
John Arthur Thomson wrote popular science books that introduced biology to a general audience.
wrote + [type of book] + that + [purpose]
Thomson's 'The Outline of Science' was first published in 1922 and ran through many editions.
The librarian recommended Thomson's work to Henry as an introduction to natural history.
Eve borrowed Thomson's 'The Biology of Birds' from the school library for her biology project.
5. Sir Joseph John Thomson (1856–1940), the English physicist who discovered the el
Sir Joseph John Thomson (1856–1940), the English physicist who discovered the electron in 1897 and proposed the 'plum pudding' model of the atom.
J.J. Thomson discovered the electron in 1897 while studying cathode rays.
[person] + discovered + [object] + in + [year]
Thomson's plum pudding model described atoms as a sphere of positive charge with electrons embedded inside.
possessive + [theory/model] + described + [noun] + as + [metaphor]
Every physics student learns about Thomson's cathode ray experiment as a turning point in atomic theory.
When J.J. Thomson presented his electron discovery, many scientists were sceptical at first.
when + [person] + presented + [discovery], + [reaction]
Usage Note
Often referred to as 'J.J. Thomson' to distinguish him from his son, George Paget Thomson (sense 1). His full title includes the honorific 'Sir.'
6. Virgil Garnett Thomson, an American composer and music critic who wrote operas,
Virgil Garnett Thomson, an American composer and music critic who wrote operas, film scores, and influential reviews for the New York Herald Tribune.
Virgil Thomson composed the music for the documentary film 'The River' in 1937.
[person] + composed + [work] + for + [medium]
Thomson won a Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1949 for his score to the film 'Louisiana Story.'
Élise read Thomson's music reviews from the 1940s to understand how critics shaped public taste.
Tariq played Thomson's opera 'Four Saints in Three Acts' during his music history presentation.
7. William Thomson (1824–1907), better known as Lord Kelvin or Baron Kelvin, a Brit
William Thomson (1824–1907), better known as Lord Kelvin or Baron Kelvin, a British physicist who helped develop the laws of thermodynamics and gave his name to the Kelvin temperature scale.
Lord Kelvin helped formulate the second law of thermodynamics in the mid-1800s.
[title] + helped + [verb] + [scientific concept]
The Kelvin scale, named after William Thomson, is used in scientific temperature measurements.
passive: named after [person]
Scientists still use Thomson's absolute temperature scale for experiments in physics and chemistry.
School textbooks often mention Kelvin's estimate of the Earth's age, though it was far too low.
mention + [person]'s + [contribution], + concession clause
Usage Note
William Thomson is almost always referred to by his title — 'Lord Kelvin' or 'Baron Kelvin' — rather than by his birth name. The word 'kelvin' (lowercase) as a unit of temperature derives from his name.
Word family
- ThomsonianadjectiveC2
- ThomsonitenounC2
Etymology
Thomson is a common Scottish and English patronymic surname meaning 'son of Thom,' itself a short form of Thomas. Thomas comes from the Aramaic name Te'oma, meaning 'twin.' The name became widespread in Britain after the Norman Conquest. In science, Thomson is best known through Sir Joseph John Thomson (discoverer of the electron) and William Thomson (Lord Kelvin), while in the arts it belongs to the poet James Thomson and the composer Virgil Thomson.