antonomasia

noun

an·ton·o·ma·sia ˌan-tə-nō-ˈmā-zh(ē-)ə

(ˌ)an-ˌtä-nə-

: the use of a proper name to designate a member of a class (such as a Solomon for a wise ruler)

also : the use of an epithet or title in place of a proper name (such as the Bard for Shakespeare)

Did you know?

What's in a name? When it comes to "antonomasia," quite a bit. English speakers picked up that appellative term from Latin, but it traces back to Greek, descending from the verb antonomazein, meaning "to call by a new name," which itself developed from the Greek noun onoma, meaning "name." You may already be familiar with some other English "onoma" descendants, such as "onomatopoeia" (the naming of something in imitation of the sound associated with it), "polyonymous" (having multiple names), and "toponymy" (the place-names of a region). "Antonomasia" has been naming names in English since the mid-16th century.

Examples of antonomasia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web One was antonomasia, the usually derisive practice of describing an individual by a certain characteristic, then making it into a proper noun. —

Lynda Robinson, Washington Post, 15 May 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'antonomasia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, use of an epithet for a proper name, from Greek, from antonomazein to call by a new name, from anti- + onomazein to name, from onoma name — more at name

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of antonomasia was circa 1550

See more words from the same year