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
  • And residents have given their homes whimsical nicknames such as Sea Urchin, Surf Song and A Whistle Away.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Some of the stories behind the nicknames are better than the actual nicknames.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of nicknames
Noun
  • While Christen and Jude remained among the hottest brands to check out at showroom appointments, other names pinpointed by buyers included Hagelstam, Nomasei, Neous and the newcomers Ananyan and Kiana Ghavidel.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • According to Bilal—who had nine cousins in Nusra, six of whom were already dead—these fighters were so keen to die in battle during Ramadan, the best time to be a martyr, that Nusra had to organize a lottery of names for suicide attacks.
    — Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of names
Noun
  • Cricket South Africa said players will take the field with the names of breast cancer fighters or survivors replacing their own surnames on the backs of their shirts.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The couple lived between New York City, Denmark, France, and Tuxedo Park, according to listing agent Richard Ellis, and their surnames inspired the property’s name.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of surnames
Noun
  • These practices have made some industries a permanent part of the country’s political fabric, and given rise to unflattering monikers like Big Oil or Big Pharma or Big Food.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The legendary playwright has penned dramatic productions with some of the most popular monikers of all time, including Jessica and Olivia.
    — Kara Nesvig, Parents, 24 Sep. 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
  • Job titles that mention AI accounted for 37% of the increase.
    — Corynn Winston, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Vietnamese films grossed more than VND3 trillion ($114 million) at home in 2025, outperforming international titles in the local market for the first time.
    — Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of titles
Noun
  • The new designations are aimed at further limiting Iran's ability to transport and profit from petroleum and petrochemicals.
    — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • With little comment from the state panel and no public testimony, the Cabinet voted to apply domestic or foreign terrorist designations to a series of groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Muslim Brotherhood and antifa.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 29 Sep. 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 13 Oct. 2026.

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