Definition of Epithet
Epithet
e·pi·thet


Definition/Meaning
(noun)
A term used to characterize or describe a person or thing.

e.g. The epithet "The Great" was often used to describe Alexander the Macedonian king.

(noun)
a disparaging word or phrase that is used as a term of abuse;

e.g. The angry mob jeered disparaging epithets.

(noun)
a word or phrase that is firmly associated with a person, place, or thing, and is used more frequently than the actual name of it;

e.g. New York City has been given the epithet "The Big Apple" which people recognize more easily now.

(noun)
in taxonomy, it is the name that identifies a subordinate unit within a genus;

e.g. An example of an epithet in taxonomy is the term 'coli' from Escherichia coli.



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