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

The defendants, who were white, also used racial epithets toward Majors, prosecutors said. —Kelly Puente, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

Musk and Trump’s potent political alliance seemed to meet a dramatic end a month ago in an exchange of blistering epithets, with Trump threatening to go after Musk’s business interests, and Musk calling for Trump’s impeachment. —Meg Kinnard, Chicago Tribune, 1 July 2025

If Welch’s considerable foibles have been dropped from the legend, the timeline bungled, the alcoholism and probable mental illness minimized, the use of racial epithets and the overt misogyny ignored, his death fetishized into a form of transfiguration . . . —Brendan Fitzgerald, Longreads, 26 June 2025

Kathy Hochul summed it up with a single barnyard epithet There is the thicket, and there is the path. —Jamie Malanowski, Air Mail, 21 June 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

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

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