Etymology From Middle French épithète, from Latin epithetum, epitheton, from Ancient Greek ἐπίθετον (epítheton, “epithet, adjective”), the neuter of ἐπίθετος (epíthetos, “additional”), from ἐπιτίθημι (epitíthēmi, “to add on”), from ἐπι- (epi-, “in addition”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put”) (suf. possibly related to title in the sense of "ascribed appellation") (from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to put, to do”)). Doublet of epitheton.
1
A term used to characterize a person or thing.
She would lean her head for hours on Beatrice's shoulder, only now and then applying to her some childish and endearing epithet.1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter VII, in Romance and Reality. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 130:
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Human sciences, Mysticism, Mythology, Philosophy, Sciences A term used as a qualifier of the name of a deity in order to designate said deity in a particular aspect or role.
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A term used as a descriptive substitute for the name or title of a person.
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One of many formulaic words or phrases used in the Iliad and Odyssey to characterize a person, a group of people, or a thing.
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An abusive or contemptuous word or phrase.
Part of this process was the elaboration of new terms for the Jew, especially the increasingly popular epithet “kike”.2006, Eric L. Goldstein, The Price of Whiteness: Jews, Race, and American Identity:
Counterprotesters shouted epithets as they walked by, but the opposing groups kept it nonviolent.2025 January 15, Linda Feldmann, “Outside the DC jail, where Jan. 6 rage and devotion live on”, in The Christian Science Monitor, archived from the original on 24 Jan 2025:
2 more examples
Politico reported that epithets appeared more than 251 times.2025 October 15, David W. Chen, Megan Mineiro, “Republicans Face Fallout From Racist and Homophobic Texts”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Oct 2025:
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.2025 December 17, Jennifer Szalai, “The Intellectuals Fueling the MAGA Movement”, in The New York Times Book Review, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 Dec 2025:
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Biology, Natural sciences, Taxonomy 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.
Etymology From Middle French épithète, from Latin epithetum, epitheton, from Ancient Greek ἐπίθετον (epítheton, “epithet, adjective”), the neuter of ἐπίθετος (epíthetos, “additional”), from ἐπιτίθημι (epitíthēmi, “to add on”), from ἐπι- (epi-, “in addition”) + τίθημι (títhēmi, “to put”) (suf. possibly related to title in the sense of "ascribed appellation") (from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- (“to put, to do”)). Doublet of epitheton.