Meaning & use
Ferdinand Magellan
Last updated
Meaning
proper nounproper
A Portuguese explorer (c. 1480–1521) who led the first European expedition to sail around the world.
Grammar: Used as a name; no article before it.
Patterns
- Ferdinand Magellan's expedition
- led by Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan set out from Spain in 1519 with five ships.
The strait at the southern tip of South America is named after Ferdinand Magellan.
Ferdinand Magellan was killed in the Philippines, but one of his ships later returned to Spain.
Common combinations
- Ferdinand Magellan's voyage
- Ferdinand Magellan's voyage took three years to complete.
- the Magellan expedition
- The Magellan expedition faced storms, hunger, and mutiny.
- the Strait of Magellan
- The Strait of Magellan is a dangerous sea route near the tip of South America.
- Magellan's crew
- Only 18 of Magellan's crew made it back to Spain.
Word family
- Magellanic adjective
- Relating to Magellan, as in the Magellanic Clouds (distant galaxies).
Commonly confused: Ferdinand Magellan or Ferdinand? Ferdinand Magellan or Magellan?
Ferdinand Magellan vs Ferdinand
A common first name; Magellan is the surname. Do not use 'Ferdinand' alone to refer to the explorer.
Ferdinand Magellan vs Magellan
Often used alone after first mention: 'Magellan's ship'.
Practice
Which sentence uses the name correctly?
Choose one answer.
The name is singular and refers to a historical figure, so the verb should be 'was' (past tense, singular). 'Were' and 'are' are plural, and 'is' is present tense, which is wrong for someone who died in 1521.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Ferdinand Magellan”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.