Sir Thomas Browne is noted for which contribution to English literature?

• A. Writing only poetry with simple vocabulary
• B. Coining more than 100 new words and influencing English prose
• C. Inventing the printing press
• D. Translating ancient plays

Answer: (B)

Sir Thomas Browne’s lasting impact comes from how he fused curiosity about the world with a richly expressive, highly crafted English prose, and from his prolific introduction of new words. As a 17th‑century physician and writer, he wove science, religion, and philosophy into complex, thoughtful sentences. His works—Religio Medici, Pseudodoxa Epidemica, and Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial—show his penchant for inventive diction and syntactic structure, and he coined many neologisms that expanded English vocabulary. This combination of innovative language and distinctive prose influenced later writers and helped shape the development of English prose, far beyond what simple poetry, printing innovations, or translation of ancient plays achieved.