sobriquet
noun
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This synonym of nickname has the same meaning in modern French as it does in English. In Middle French, however, its earlier incarnation soubriquet referred to both a nickname and a tap under the chin. Centuries later, the connection between these two meanings isn't clear, but what is clear is that the "nickname" meaning of sobriquet was well established in French by the time English speakers borrowed the term in the 17th century—and was the only meaning that was adopted. In current English, the spelling sobriquet is most common, but soubriquet is also an accepted variant.
Synonyms
Examples of sobriquet in a Sentence
Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2024
The two shared a nickname for Satan: Old Slew Foot, a colonial-era sobriquet for the cloven-hoofed devil that spoke to the legendary tap and soft-shoe performer.
—Alex Bhattacharji, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2024
Such as holding court, choosing your sobriquet, and naming imbecilic lickspittles to our Kingsguard.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 7 July 2024
At the Charleston Place, instructors Caroline Riley and Anne Ruder take inspiration from the city’s nickname for their own sobriquet: Holy Mahj.
—Kinsey Gidicl, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sobriquet 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sobriquet.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sobriquet
Cite this Entry
“Sobriquet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sobriquet. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.
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