epithet

noun

ep·​i·​thet ˈe-pə-ˌthet 

 also  -thət

1

a

: a characterizing word or phrase accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a person or thing

b

: a disparaging or abusive word or phrase

c

: the part of a taxonomic name identifying a subordinate unit within a genus

2

obsolete : expression

epithetic

ˌe-pə-ˈthe-tik 

adjective

or epithetical

ˌe-pə-ˈthe-ti-kəl 

Did you know?

Nowadays, epithet is usually used negatively, with the meaning "a disparaging word or phrase," but it wasn't always that way. Epithet comes from Greek epitithenai, meaning "to put on" or "to add." In its oldest sense, epithet is simply a descriptive word or phrase, especially one joined by fixed association to the name of someone or something, as in "Ivan the Great" or the Homeric phrase "wine-dark sea."

Synonyms

• nickname
• surname
• moniker

Examples of epithet in a Sentence

His charitable works have earned him the epithet “Mr. Philanthropy.”

Many were offended by her use of racial epithets.

a group of angry people hurling epithets at one another

Recent Examples on the Web

At one point, tempers flared in the drive-thru lane as a driver in a pickup truck gave up and somehow managed to pull off a U-turn, precipitating a hangry window-down exchange of epithets with the car behind him. —Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025

Over the decades, Kennedy Jr. has earned the epithet of style icon. —Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 15 Aug. 2025

Tackett shouted racial epithets against Latinos at the driver before hurling a cup of hot coffee into their car, splashing the victim’s face, hands and the inside of his car, Oldoerp said. —City News Service, Oc Register, 25 July 2025

The two welders who had been spewing racist epithets at Pierre, the lawsuit said, began retaliating. —Miami Herald, 7 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin epitheton, from Greek, from neuter of epithetos added, from epitithenai to put on, add, from epi- + tithenai to put — more at do

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing epithet

• specific epithet

Rhymes for epithet

• alphabet
• arpanet
• bayonet
• biuret
• cigarette
• clarinet
• coronet
• coverlet
• dataset
• ethernet
• heavyset
• internet

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Kids Definition

epithet

noun

ep·​i·​thet ˈep-ə-ˌthet 

1

a

: a word or phrase (as Lionhearted in "Richard the Lionhearted") that expresses a quality thought to be characteristic of a person or thing

b

: a word or name used as a term of abuse

2

: the part of a taxonomic name identifying a subordinate unit within a genus

epithetic

ˌep-ə-ˈthet-ik 

adjective

or epithetical

-ˈthet-i-kəl 

Medical Definition

epithet

noun

ep·​i·​thet

ˈep-ə-ˌthet also -thət

: the part of a scientific name identifying the species, variety, or other subunit within a genus see specific epithet