epithet — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A term used to characterize a person or thing.

   Examples

   She would lean her head for hours on Beatrice's shoulder, only now and then applying to her some childish and endearing epithet.

2. A term used as a qualifier of the name of a deity in order to designate said deity in a particular aspect or role.

   Synonyms

   byname

3. A term used as a descriptive substitute for the name or title of a person.

   Synonyms

   cognomeneponymbynameto-namesurname

4. One of many formulaic words or phrases used in the Iliad and Odyssey to characterize a person, a group of people, or a thing.

5. An abusive or contemptuous word or phrase.

   Examples

   Part of this process was the elaboration of new terms for the Jew, especially the increasingly popular epithet “kike”.

   Counterprotesters shouted epithets as they walked by, but the opposing groups kept it nonviolent.

   More examples (2)

   Politico reported that epithets appeared more than 251 times.

   Her book includes an incisive discussion of misogyny on the New Right. [Laura K.] Field notes how “gynocracy” and “the longhouse” have become overwrought MAGA epithets for an unbearably feminized and pluralist society.

6. A word in the scientific name of a taxon following the name of the genus or species. This applies only to formal names of plants, fungi and bacteria. In formal names of animals the corresponding term is the specific name.

Verb

1. To term; to refer to as.

   Usage

   • Transitive

   Examples

   He was epitheted "the king of fools".

Noun

1. a defamatory or abusive word or phrase

   Synonyms

   name

   Broader terms

   defamationcalumnycalumniationobloquytraducementhatchet job

2. descriptive word or phrase

   Broader terms

   word pictureword-paintingdelineationdepictionpicturecharacterizationcharacterisation