epithet: Meaning and Definition of

ep•i•thet

Pronunciation: (ep'u-thet"), [key]
— n.
  1. any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality: “Richard the Lion-Hearted” is an epithet of Richard I.
  2. a characterizing word or phrase firmly associated with a person or thing and often used in place of an actual name, title, or the like, as “man's best friend” for “dog.”
  3. a word, phrase, or expression used invectively as a term of abuse or contempt, to express hostility, etc.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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