cognomens

noun

variants or cognomina
plural of cognomen
1
as in nicknames
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual richly deserved the cognomen of "Butterfingers"

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in names
a word or combination of words by which a person or thing is regularly known "Christopher Columbus" is the Latinized cognomen of the navigator who was known to his Spanish crewmates as Cristóbal Colón

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cognomens
  1. nicknames
  2. names
  3. surnames
  4. monikers
  5. epithets
  6. titles
  7. designations
Noun
  • Now someone has come up with the 50 most interesting nicknames.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The man had nicknames, pet names, codenames, and spoke like Barry White telling a dirty joke.
    — Jeff Rabhan, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of nicknames
Noun
  • Shortly after Lyons' email, Charles forwarded the message to a group of officials whose names are redacted.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Shortly after Lyon's email, Charles forwarded the message to a group of officials whose names are redacted.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of names
Noun
  • In 2019, his great-nephews Albert and Lawrence Lewitinn (their surnames are spelled differently than the artist’s) inherited about 1,000 of the artist’s works.
    — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Last year, those bases reverted to their original names, but with different namesakes who share Confederate surnames.
    — Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of surnames
Noun
  • The monikers Bella and Luna have consistently vied for the top spot, with Max topping the charts in 2022, before being unseated by Milo.
    — Clare Fisher, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Expect to see names like Helaena, Baela, and Alicent all become popular monikers for princesses-in-training in the next few years—dragons not included.
    — Parents, Parents, 31 July 2026
Definition of monikers
Noun
  • The raid drew criticism over separating families, and a group of Idahoans sued, saying officers hurled racial epithets and largely withheld water, food, bathrooms and medical care.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Hochman detailed a number of prosecutions, including the sentence of one man to a life sentence plus seven years with the possibility of parole for a March 23 attack, during which racial epithets were uttered.
    — City News Service, Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of epithets
Noun
  • The Cuban won flyweight gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics and later unified the WBA and IBF featherweight titles, and this is his bare-knuckle debut.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The sidebar returns with four microbudget films, and the rest of the lineup is filled with bold domestic and international titles that just might introduce attendees to their new favorite filmmaker.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of titles
Noun
  • Any changes in zoning designations won’t enable a site redevelopment or project approval by themselves.
    — George Avalos, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The essential point is that the three designations have become obsolete in the wake of nineteenth-century social and economic developments, but for that very reason are associated with Jews.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of designations
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

cognomen
cognomens
cognoscente
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Cite this Entry

“Cognomens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognomens. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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