noun
eponym
Eponym (noun) means a person whose name was given, or is said to have been given, to a people, a place or an institution.
noun
1
A person whose name was given, or is said to have been given, to a people, a place or an institution.
"The Greeks and Romans tended to credit nearly every location and ethnicity to a legendary eponym, Hellas to Hellen, Rome to Romulus, Egypt to Aegyptus, etc."
"Similar to the Greek eponymous archons and Roman consuls, the names of the annually appointed Assyrian limus were used for their years in office and they are accordingly also known as eponyms."
2
A thing that takes its name from a person.
3
A name that comes from a person, such as a place named after them.
"Alexandria is an eponym, taken from its founder Alexander the Great."
4
A word that comes from any proper noun, such as a place or a brand name.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like eponym.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Etymology
From Latin eponymus, from Ancient Greek ἐπώνῠμος (epṓnŭmos), from ἐπί (epí, “upon, epi-”) + ὄνυμα (ónuma, “name”) + -ος (-os, suffix forming adjectives and nouns). Equivalent to epi- + -nym.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for eponym
See all rhymes for eponym →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of eponym?
"eponym" (noun) means a person whose name was given, or is said to have been given, to a people, a place or an institution.
What is another word for eponym?
Other words for "eponym" include namesake.
What are the different meanings of eponym?
"eponym" has 3 main meanings: 1. A person whose name was given, or is said to have been given, to a people, a place or an institution; 2. A thing that takes its name from a person; 3. A name that comes from a person, such as a place named after them.