Wilberforce

American  

[wil-ber-fawrs, -fohrs] / ˈwɪl bərˌfɔrs, -ˌfoʊrs /

noun

1. William, 1759–1833, British statesman, philanthropist, and writer.

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Wilberforce British  

/ ˈwɪlbəˌfɔːs /

noun

1. Samuel. 1805–73, British Anglican churchman; bishop of Oxford (1845–69) and Winchester (1869–73)

2. his father, William. 1759–1833, British politician and philanthropist, whose efforts secured the abolition of the slave trade (1807) and of slavery (1833) in the British Empire

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Example Sentences

In 2008, Congress passed the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victim Protection Reauthorization Act, or TVPRA, which provides enhanced protections for children—including immigrant children—who are particularly vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2025

"In the early hours of Sunday, some unidentified individuals attempted to break into the military armoury at the Wilberforce barracks. The have been rebuffed," information minister Chernor Bah said in the statement.

From Reuters • Nov. 26, 2023

The country’s president, Julius Maada Bio, said early Sunday that there had been “a breach of security” at the Wilberforce military barracks in the capital, Freetown, as “some unidentified individuals attacked the military armory.”

From New York Times • Nov. 26, 2023

There is a speech to Parliament from 1789 by leading abolitionist William Wilberforce, who would campaign for 18 more years before Britain outlawed the slave trade.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 31, 2023

When she was an upperclassman, one of Dorothy’s professors at Wilberforce recommended her for graduate study in mathematics at Howard University, in what would be the inaugural class for a master’s degree in the subject.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly