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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 The Saskatchewan native became an ice-hockey legend in Portland, earning the sobriquet the Red Baron for his scorching style of play. — oregonlive, 28 Dec. 2021 Their show’s snappy title, wrapping recent art by 16 women within a familiar sobriquet shrouded with hostility in order to defuse it, is anything but a coincidence. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2021 Many, in interviews, decline to give their full names or offer a street sobriquet, for reasons that are probably obvious. — BostonGlobe.com, 9 Oct. 2021 But even without the perfect sobriquet, each of us can make surprises happen. — Kevin Fisher-paulson, San Francisco Chronicle, 21 Sep. 2021 That might be a stretch, but the sobriquet must have stuck in the mind of Cumberland, Md., native Paul E. Welsh, a proud and die-hard Marylander. — John Kelly, baltimoresun.com, 28 June 2021 That might be a stretch, but the sobriquet must have stuck in the mind of Cumberland, Md., native Paul E. Welsh, a proud and die-hard Marylander. — John Kelly, baltimoresun.com, 28 June 2021 That might be a stretch, but the sobriquet must have stuck in the mind of Cumberland, Md., native Paul E. Welsh, a proud and die-hard Marylander. — John Kelly, baltimoresun.com, 28 June 2021 That might be a stretch, but the sobriquet must have stuck in the mind of Cumberland, Md., native Paul E. Welsh, a proud and die-hard Marylander. — John Kelly, baltimoresun.com, 28 June 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sobriquet.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.