Rhodes scholar

noun

: a holder of one of numerous scholarships founded under the will of Cecil J. Rhodes that can be used at Oxford University for two or three years and are open to candidates from the Commonwealth of Nations and the U.S.

Examples of Rhodes scholar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In his wider-ranging career, Kristofferson was also a Rhodes scholar, flew helicopters, ad served in the Army. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024 In the wake of the country legend’s death on September 28, 2024, at the age of 88, folks are sharing some of their favorite stories about the singer, songwriter, actor, and Rhodes scholar. Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 30 Sep. 2024 Remembering Brownsville-native Kris Kristofferson Remembering Brownsville-native Kris Kristofferson 01:14 Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and A-list Hollywood actor, has died. CBS News, 30 Sep. 2024 Songwriting was merely one aspect to the Renaissance man, who was also a Golden Globe-winning actor, Golden Gloves boxer, Rhodes scholar, author, U.S. Army veteran, pilot, and onetime record-label janitor. Stephen L. Betts, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2024 Returning to Arkansas after his years as a Rhodes scholar and Yale law student, Bill Clinton, the great chameleon of modern American political history, had to reconnect with an American vernacular. Walter Russell Mead, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2010 Cardinale, a former Rhodes scholar, who has steered RedBird’s $10 billion in assets under management with an eye for value honed over two decades at Goldman Sachs, is building a media portfolio for today’s attention economy. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 8 June 2024 The study shows that these alumni disproportionately account for a quarter of current U.S. senators, nearly half of all Rhodes scholars, and over two-thirds of Supreme Court justices since 1963. Paige Hagy, Fortune, 24 July 2023 Advertisement One of them was Derek Shearer, a native Californian whom Clinton met years later as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford University. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Rhodes scholar was in 1902

Dictionary Entries Near Rhodes scholar

Cite this Entry

“Rhodes scholar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Rhodes%20scholar. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!