cognomen

noun

käg-ˈnō-mən How to pronounce cognomen (audio)
Definition of cognomennext
1
as in nickname
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 moniker
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

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.
Recent Examples of cognomen The cognomen, or surname, of the Oba is Ekpen-owa, or home leopard. — NOLA.com, 1 Feb. 2021 Moore submitted dozens of wonderful, wondrous cognomens, including Mongoose Civique, Regina-rex, Aeroterre, Dearborn Diamanté and the deathless Utopian Turtletop. — Dan Neil, WSJ, 20 Mar. 2020 Denmark, Iceland, Hungary and Saudi Arabia also enforce specific naming conventions where common American cognomens might not make the cut. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, 26 Sep. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cognomen
  1. nickname
  2. moniker
  3. epithet
  4. name
  5. surname
  6. title
  7. nomenclature
Noun
  • To an uninformed voter, the nickname might suggest that Ehr is of Hispanic descent.
    — Michael Vasquez, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026
  • All of the Slow Horses (a not-so-affectionate nickname for Slough House employees), past and present, are targeted, and Sid goes to River for help.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of nickname
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
  • When Nick went to present his first big case to clients and the board, he was paralyzed by stuttering, and the firm hired a vocal coach who taught him to sing through the stammer, hence the moniker.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of moniker
Noun
  • In the lawsuit, the family also claimed that an Oaks Christian School teacher accused their son of lying about the harassment after a student called him a racial epithet inside a classroom.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of epithet
Noun
  • Peanut brittle in individual packages lack the name of producer and ingredients.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The name came from the fact that the original cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg spice blend was the same as that used in pumpkin pie.
    — Rebekah Evans, TheWeek, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of name
Noun
  • Soon after, Lewis adopted Risk, who took his surname, at age 21, according to friends and a blurb in the younger Lewis’ funeral program.
    — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Like other Tigrayans quoted in this story, he is being referred to only by his surname for fear of retaliation by armed groups.
    — Siyanne Mekonnen, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of surname
Noun
  • The New York Yankees become the first team in more than a quarter-century to win three straight World Series titles, beating the New York Mets 4-2.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
  • As their titles indicate, the two larger works, Le Jour and Le Nuit, are in dialogue with each other.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of title
Noun
  • The technologies themselves aren't changing, but NASA's effort to implement the nomenclature introduces new obstacles for scientific communication and the agency's digital infrastructure.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Under this nomenclature, Fredonia would be the poetic and literary term, and denizens of the nation would be called Fredonians, or more colloquially, Fredes.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of nomenclature

Browse Nearby Words

cognizing
cognomen
cognomens
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Cite this Entry

“Cognomen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cognomen. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cognomen

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cognomen

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