Definition: A person, especially one who is well‑known or has a particular role.
Example 1: Santa was not always the jolly figure we know today; he used to be shown as a tall, thin man.
Example 2: Nelson Mandela is a respected figure in the history of human rights.
Definition: Described or shown in a particular way (past tense of portray).
Example 1: In early art, Santa was often portrayed as a tall, thin man, not the round fellow we see now.
Example 2: In the film, the queen is portrayed as a wise and fair ruler.
Definition: Not often; seldom.
Example 1: Before the mid‑1800s, Santa was rarely shown as a fat man in a red suit; it was very uncommon.
Example 2: My grandmother rarely watches television; she prefers reading books.
Definition: Represented or shown in a picture, story, or description.
Example 1: In older paintings, Santa was depicted wearing blue or green, not red.
Example 2: The ancient cave walls depicted scenes of hunting and daily life.
Definition: The point or place where something begins, starts, or comes from.
Example 1: The origin of Santa can be traced back to Saint Nicholas, a Greek bishop from Turkey.
Example 2: The origin of the word "robot" comes from a Czech play.
Definition: Followed to discover the origin or cause of something (phrasal verb).
Example 1: The story of Santa can be traced back to the 4th century and Saint Nicholas.
Example 2: His family's history can be traced back to the 18th century in Ireland.
Definition: The quality of being kind, helpful, and willing to give freely.
Example 1: Saint Nicholas became famous for his generosity, often giving gifts in secret.
Example 2: The community thanked the donor for her generosity in funding the new library.
Definition: A traditional story that may or may not be completely true, often about a famous person or event.
Example 1: The stories about Saint Nicholas helped form the Christmas legend we know today.
Example 2: The legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is still popular.
Definition: Representations or images of someone or something (plural of depiction).
Example 1: Before the 1930s, the depictions of Santa varied a lot from one artist to another.
Example 2: The museum had many depictions of daily life in the 19th century.
Definition: Not staying the same; having different parts that don't match or agree.
Example 1: Before Coca‑Cola, images of Santa were inconsistent—he looked different in each drawing.
Example 2: The data from the two experiments was inconsistent, so we repeated the tests.
Definition: The quality of always behaving or happening in the same way.
Example 1: Sundblom's artwork brought consistency to Santa's image, making him look the same everywhere.
Example 2: The chef's consistency in cooking made the restaurant famous.
Definition: The process of making something more modern or up to date.
Example 1: The biggest step toward the modernization of Santa's image came in 1931 with Coca‑Cola's ads.
Example 2: The modernization of the railway system improved travel times significantly.
Definition: The feeling or idea you get from someone or something that makes you want to create.
Example 1: Sundblom took inspiration from a famous poem about Santa for his paintings.
Example 2: She drew inspiration from nature to write her new collection of poems.
Definition: Decorated or bordered with a particular material or color.
Example 1: Sundblom's Santa wore a bright red suit trimmed with white fur around the edges.
Example 2: The dress was trimmed with delicate lace at the sleeves.
Definition: Done on purpose; deliberately.
Example 1: The colors were intentionally chosen to match Coca‑Cola's famous red and white logo.
Example 2: He intentionally arrived late to avoid the first boring speech.
Definition: A symbol or design used by a company to identify its products.
Example 1: Coca‑Cola's famous red logo was a key part of the Santa advertisements.
Example 2: The new logo for the sports team features a fierce lion.
Definition: The name given to a specific product or company.
Example 1: The red Santa suit matched the brand name "Coca‑Cola" written in white script.
Example 2: Many people recognize the brand name Nike by its famous slogan.
Definition: Arrangements or exhibitions of items for people to see (plural of display).
Example 1: Sundblom's Santa appeared in shop displays and calendars across the country.
Example 2: The museum's displays included ancient pottery and tools.
Definition: Large outdoor signs used for advertising.
Example 1: The Santa ads were so big they were placed on giant billboards by the road.
Example 2: The billboards along the highway advertised a new smartphone.
Definition: A planned series of activities or advertisements to achieve a goal.
Example 1: Coca‑Cola's advertising campaign ran for over 30 years and made Santa famous.
Example 2: The political campaign focused on health care and education reform.
Definition: To make things the same or consistent across different places.
Example 1: The Coca‑Cola ads helped standardize Santa's image so he looked the same everywhere.
Example 2: The company wants to standardize its safety procedures in all factories.
Definition: To make something well‑liked or well‑known by many people.
Example 1: The advertisements helped popularize the red‑suited Santa around the world.
Example 2: The band's hit single helped popularize indie music in the mainstream.