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
  • His nicknames usually reflect his role as a catalyst—The Initiator, The Originator, The Godfather—yet less so his ingenuity and down-home dedication.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Regardless of a brand’s intent, sneakerheads love to coin unofficial nicknames for sneakers and often do so with monikers derived from pop-culture.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of nicknames
Noun
  • That kind of multiple demands absolute perfection, and recent weeks have shown exactly what happens to heavily weighted tech names that fail to deliver a flawless quarter, Alphabet and Amazon among them.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Companies with nearly identical names were later incorporated in Slovakia, where business records list Dorofeyeva as the sole or co-owner.
    — Megan Molteni, STAT, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of names
Noun
  • Contemporary observers, including one 20th-century American rabbi, noted that many Black Jamaicans bore Jewish surnames and took pride in their heritage.
    — Zachary Kranc, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of surnames
Noun
  • This is the Leeds full-length that sounds most like the previous one, despite the producer typically showing great range even across his individual monikers.
    — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Regardless of a brand’s intent, sneakerheads love to coin unofficial nicknames for sneakers and often do so with monikers derived from pop-culture.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of monikers
Noun
  • The American Civil Liberties Union sued in February, alleging officers hurled racial epithets, acted violently, and largely withheld food, water, bathrooms and medical care.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 19 Oct. 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 slim chances of Missouri going on a run towards either of those titles is all but lost after Saturday’s loss.
    — PJ Green November 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Nov. 2026
  • McIlroy is looking to join Colin Montgomerie on a record eight Race to Dubai titles.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of titles
Noun
  • Trump himself has reversed national monument designations made by his predecessors.
    — Collin Binkley, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The tax consequences depend on the policy's value, ownership and beneficiary designations.
    — Dan Avery, CNBC, 6 Nov. 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 9 Nov. 2026.

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