sobriquet
noun
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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
Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
And all of that mimicked the gloriously madcap fox hunt, minus hounds and the fox and made the horse the focus — hence the sobriquet for the sport, National Hunt racing.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Theoretically, September would bring four new iPhones as usual but they would be called iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air (or some other sobriquet suggesting thinness), iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Ultra.
—David Phelan, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Quiz: from 1964 to the present, which major Republican candidate for president was NOT charged with this sobriquet?
—Walter E Block, Orange County Register, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sobriquet
Cite this Entry
“Sobriquet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sobriquet. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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