epithet
Meaning
a descriptive word or phrase added to or substituted for a person's name, often to highlight a characteristic or quality.
a disparaging or abusive word or phrase.
Structure
Usage
the great leader was often referred to by the epithet "the liberator."
in homer's iliad, swift-footed is a common epithet for the hero achilles.
he hurled a racial epithet at his opponent during the argument.
Etymology
the word epithet originates from the greek 'epitheton', the neuter form of 'epithetos', meaning 'attributed' or 'added'. this is derived from 'epitithenai', a compound verb formed from 'epi-' (upon) and 'tithenai' (to place), thus conveying the literal sense of 'something placed upon' a name or subject. it entered english via latin 'epitheton' in the 16th century, initially used in rhetoric for an adjective or descriptive phrase. over time, its meaning narrowed to specifically denote a characterizing term attached to a name, and later acquired a secondary, often negative, connotation for an abusive label.
Analysis
epi is a prefix of greek origin meaning 'upon, at, or close to'. thet is from the greek root 'thet-', from 'tithenai', meaning 'to place, to put'.