epithet
- 01 C1 Advanced
n.a word or phrase used to describe a person's main quality, often added to their name.
n.an adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality characteristic of the person or thing mentioned. Often used as a formal title.
Simple“King Richard the First was known by the epithet 'the Lionheart' because of his courage.”
In context“Historical figures are frequently identified by a traditional epithet that highlights a defining virtue or a significant military conquest.”
UsageOften follows the name of a person, linked by the definite article 'the'.
Synonyms - 02 C2 Proficiency
n.a repeated phrase in old poems used to describe a character or object.
n.a formulaic word or phrase used in epic poetry to characterize a person, group, or thing.
Simple“In the Odyssey, Homer often uses the epithet 'wine-dark' to describe the sea.”
In context“The use of fixed epithets in oral tradition served as a mnemonic device for the poet while maintaining the dactylic hexameter of the epic.”
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.the second part of a scientific name for a plant or animal.
n.the specific name or term in a taxonomic designation that follows the genus name.
Simple“In the name 'Quercus alba', the word 'alba' is the specific epithet.”
In context“The botanical epithet usually describes a physical trait, such as color or leaf shape, or refers to the geographical origin of the species.”
Synonymsspecific name - 04 C2 Proficiency
v.to give someone or something a descriptive name or title.
v.to characterize or refer to by a specific term or descriptive phrase.
Simple“Critics epitheted the new building as a 'monstrosity' shortly after it opened.”
In context“The biographer epitheted the subject as a visionary, though contemporary accounts were far less generous in their assessment.”
UsageThis verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
Synonyms
“He can do it in no other way.” Rather than memorizing thousands of lines, oral storytellers used basic building blocks—such as themes, meter and epithets—to improvise songs at impressive speeds.”
From Middle French épithète, from Latin epithetum, epitheton, from Ancient Greek ἐπίθετον (epítheton, “epithet, adjective”), the neuter of ἐπίθετος (epíthetos, “additional”), from ἐπιτίθημι (epitíthēmi, “to add on”), from ἐπι- (epi-, “in addition”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put”) (suf. possibly related to title in the sense of "ascribed appellation") (from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to put, to do”)). Doublet of epitheton.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.