antonomasia

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UK/ˌæntənəʊˈmeɪzɪə/UK/ænˌtɒnəʊˈmeɪzɪə/US/ˌæntənəˈmeɪʒə/

noun

The substitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun.

Similar
autonomasiaautonomasy
OriginLatin antonomasia ← Ancient Greek ἀντονομασία →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

nounantonomasia (countable and uncountable, plural antonomasias)

plural antonomasias

  1. countablerhetoricuncountableThe substitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun.
  2. countablerhetoricuncountableUse of a proper name to suggest its most obvious quality or aspect.

    Antonomasia proper names imparts From kindred, country, epithets, and arts.

    1835, L[arret] Langley, “[Rhetorical Figures.] Antonomasia.”, in A Manual of the Figures of Rhetoric, […], Doncaster, South Yorkshire: […] C. White, […], →OCLC, page 70

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
autonomasiaautonomasy

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἀντονομασία“antonomasia”
  2. Latinantonomasia
  3. Englishantonomasia

Borrowed from Latin antonomasia, Ancient Greek ἀντονομασία (antonomasía, “antonomasia”).

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan antonomàsia
  • antonomàsiasubstitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun
Chinese Mandarin 代稱 /代称
  • 代稱 /代称 (dàichēng)substitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun
Finnish antonomasia
  • antonomasiasubstitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun
French antonomase
  • antonomasesubstitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun
Polish antonomazja
  • antonomazjasubstitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun
Portuguese antonomásia
  • antonomásiasubstitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun
Spanish antonomasia
  • antonomasiasubstitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun
Swedish antonomasi
  • antonomasisubstitution of an epithet or title in place of a proper noun
Cite this entry
APA

antonomasia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antonomasia

MLA

“antonomasia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antonomasia. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “antonomasia,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/antonomasia.

Source: antonomasia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.