sobriquet

noun

so·​bri·​quet ˈsō-bri-ˌkā How to pronounce sobriquet (audio)
-ˌket;
ˌsō-bri-ˈkā,
-ˈket How to pronounce sobriquet (audio)
variants or less commonly soubriquet
ˈsō-bri-ˌkā How to pronounce sobriquet (audio)
-ˌket,
ˈsü-;
ˌsō-bri-ˈkā,
-ˈket,
ˌsü-
: a descriptive name or epithet : nickname

Did you know?

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.

Examples of sobriquet in a Sentence

Baseball player Ty Cobb was also known by the sobriquet “The Georgia Peach.” tagged her with the sobriquet “peanut” because of her diminutive size
Recent Examples on the Web 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 Justice remained eternally grateful for the naval officer’s sobriquet. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Over the years, a variety of sobriquets have been used to describe overweight ballplayers. Bill Swank, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Dec. 2023 Rock star is only one of Chrissie Hynde’s sobriquets. Jeff Slate, WSJ, 17 Dec. 2023 Thalaivar translates literally as leader and is one of the laudatory sobriquets used to describe Rajinikanth. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Sep. 2023 The plethora of sobriquets may seem peculiar, but this shouldn’t detract from the danger posed by the present heat in southern Europe. Chris Baraniuk, WIRED, 14 July 2023 Thalaivar literally means leader and is one of the sobriquets used to describe Rajinikanth. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 1 June 2023 Much of it takes place on the road, in hotel rooms and on tour buses, in the company of Annie Clark—the singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, style queen, slippery customer, and good sport, who performs under the sobriquet, or nom de guitare, of St. Vincent. Anthony Lan, The New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2021

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.

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sobriquet was in 1646

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near sobriquet

Cite this Entry

“Sobriquet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sobriquet. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sobriquet

noun
so·​bri·​quet
variants also soubriquet
ˈsō-bri-ˌkā,
-ˌket;
ˌsō-bri-ˈkā,
-ˈket
: a descriptive name or phrase : nickname
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!