noun
epithet
Epithet (noun) means a word or phrase used to describe what a person or thing is like.
noun
1
A word or phrase used to describe what a person or thing is like.
2
A word added to a god's name to show which particular aspect or role is meant.
3
A descriptive phrase used in place of someone's actual name or title.
4
One of the set, repeated phrases in the Iliad and Odyssey that describe a person, group or thing.
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Etymology
Came into English from Middle French épithète, from Latin epithetum, epitheton, from Ancient Greek ἐπίθετον (epítheton, “epithet, adjective”), the neuter of ἐπίθετος (epíthetos, “additional”). That in turn came from ἐπιτίθημι (epitíthēmi, “to add on”), from ἐπι- (epi-, “in addition”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put”) (a suffix possibly related to title in the sense of "ascribed appellation"), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to put, to do”). It is a doublet of epitheton.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of epithet?
"epithet" (noun) means a word or phrase used to describe what a person or thing is like.
What is another word for epithet?
Other words for "epithet" include name, byname, cognomen.
What are the different meanings of epithet?
"epithet" has 3 main meanings: 1. A word or phrase used to describe what a person or thing is like; 2. A word added to a god's name to show which particular aspect or role is meant; 3. A descriptive phrase used in place of someone's actual name or title.
