epithet

noun

ep·​i·​thet ˈe-pə-ˌthet 

 also  -thət

1

a

: a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing

b

: a disparaging or abusive word or phrase

c

: the part of a taxonomic name identifying a subordinate unit within a genus

2

obsolete : expression

epithetic

ˌe-pə-ˈthe-tik 

adjective

or epithetical

ˌe-pə-ˈthe-ti-kəl 

Did you know?

Nowadays, epithet is usually used negatively, with the meaning "a disparaging word or phrase," but it wasn't always that way. Epithet comes from Greek epitithenai, meaning "to put on" or "to add." In its oldest sense, epithet is simply a descriptive word or phrase, especially one joined by fixed association to the name of someone or something, as in "Ivan the Great" or the Homeric phrase "wine-dark sea."

Synonyms

• alias
• byname
• cognomen
• handle
• moniker
• monicker
• nickname
• sobriquet
• soubriquet
• surname

Examples of epithet in a Sentence

His charitable works have earned him the epithet “Mr. Philanthropy.”

Many were offended by her use of racial epithets.

a group of angry people hurling epithets at one another

Recent Examples on the Web

For example, if a butterfly like Papilio glaucus were transferred to a genus with a feminine name, the epithet glaucus (masculine form) would be adjusted to glauca to agree in gender with the new genus. —The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 12 Dec. 2024

The algorithms that underpin LLMs will by default offer up nasty or potentially harmful output such as racist epithets or instructions for building bombs, and fine-tuning from human testers is typically used to teach them behave better. —Will Knight, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024

Clark, a 22-year employee of the company, described being passed over for promotions and harassed at work, including being called numerous racial epithets. —Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 28 Oct. 2024

At the time, pollsters did not necessarily welcome the epithet. —W. Joseph Campbell, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin epitheton, from Greek, from neuter of epithetos added, from epitithenai to put on, add, from epi- + tithenai to put — more at do

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing epithet

• specific epithet

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Kids Definition

epithet

noun

ep·​i·​thet ˈep-ə-ˌthet 

1

a

: a word or phrase (as Lionhearted in "Richard the Lionhearted") that expresses a quality thought to be characteristic of a person or thing

b

: a word or name used as a term of abuse

2

: the part of a taxonomic name identifying a subordinate unit within a genus

epithetic

ˌep-ə-ˈthet-ik 

adjective

or epithetical

-ˈthet-i-kəl 

Medical Definition

epithet

noun

ep·​i·​thet

ˈep-ə-ˌthet also -thət

: the part of a scientific name identifying the species, variety, or other subunit within a genus see specific epithet