sobriquet

The word 'sobriquet' entered English in the 17th century from French, where it meant a "tap under the chin" or, by humorous extension, a "nickname." The French term likely originated from the Old French phrase soubriquet meaning "a chuck under the chin." The ultimate origin is uncertain but may be imitative of the sound of such a tap. The semantic journey is from a physical gesture of familiarity or jest to a metaphorical label applied in a similarly familiar or playful manner.

This word is a loanword from French and is not productively segmented using English morphemes. Its spelling was altered from the original French form.