Meanings
plural appellations
- datedformalA name or title by which someone is addressed or identified; a designation.
Russian River flows through a country of hill ridges, which in many places are dignifiable with the appellation of mountains.
1925, Alfred Louis Kroeber, Handbook of the Indians of California, page 2253 more examples
"I'll not," retorted "Teeter" Nelson, whose first name was Harry, but who had gained his appellation because of a habit he had of "teetering" on his tiptoes when reciting in class. "I've got Peaches all right," and there was a struggle between the two lads, one trying to throw a snowball, and the other trying to prevent him.
1912, Stratemeyer Syndicate, chapter 1, in Baseball Joe on the School NineGentlemen of the jury, what is a father, a real father, what does this great word mean, what terribly great idea is contained in this appellation?
1990, Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, transl., The Brothers Karamazov, North Point Press, →ISBN, page 742The first, and (spoiler alert) last, voyage of the Russian 2nd Pacific Squadron is about as close a candidate to the appellation "voyage of the damned" as you're ever likely to get. But quite how did this floating disaster, which literally drove some of the men involved insane, and would ultimately find its end at the Battle of Tsushima, actually come about?
2019 March 13, Drachinifel, 1:11 from the start, in The Russian 2nd Pacific Squadron - Voyage of the Damned, archived from the original on 20 Dec 2022 - A geographical indication for wine that describes its geographic origin.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounidentifying word or words by which someone or something is called and classified or distinguished from others
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinappellātiō“a naming”
- Old Frenchapellatiun
- Middle Englishappellacion
- Englishappellation
From late Middle English appellacion, from Old French apellatiun, from Latin appellātiō (“a naming”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch benaming, aanduiding
- benamingname; designation
- aanduidingname; designation
Finnish kutsumanimi, liikanimi
- kutsumaniminame; designation
- liikaniminame; designation
- nimitysname; designation
- alkuperäluokitusindication for wine that describes its geographic origin
French appellation d’origine contrôlée
- appellation d’origine contrôléeindication for wine that describes its geographic origin
German Benennung, Bezeichnung
- Benennungname; designation
- Bezeichnungname; designation
- Herkunftsbezeichnungindication for wine that describes its geographic origin
Italian appellazione, appellativo
- appellazionename; designation
- appellativoname; designation
Japanese 呼称
- 呼称 (koshou)name; designation
Polish apelacja
- apelacjaindication for wine that describes its geographic origin
Portuguese apelação, denominação de origem
- apelaçãoname; designation
- denominação de origemindication for wine that describes its geographic origin
Russian назва́ние
- назва́ние (nazvánije)name; designation
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with appellation
Sounds the same
Cite this entry
appellation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/appellation
“appellation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/appellation. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “appellation,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/appellation.
Source: appellation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.