appellative

[ uh-pel-uh-tiv ]
/ əˈpɛl ə tɪv /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR appellative ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a descriptive name or designation, as Bald in Charles the Bald.
a common noun.

adjective

designative; descriptive.
tending toward or serving for the assigning of names: the appellative function of some primitive rites.
pertaining to a common noun.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?
Question 1 of 10
earnest
full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.
a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.
urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.
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Origin of appellative

1375–1425; late Middle English (< Middle French) < Late Latin appellātīvus. See appellate, -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM appellative

ap·pel·la·tive·ly, adverbap·pel·la·tive·ness, noun

Words nearby appellative

appellant, appellate, appellate division, appellation, appellation contrôlée, appellative, appellee, appellor, append, appendage, appendages of eye
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to appellative

appellation, moniker, designation, title, epithet, cognomen, tag, handle, nickname

Example sentences from the Web for appellative

British Dictionary definitions for appellative

appellative
/ (əˈpɛlətɪv) /

noun

an identifying name or title; appellation
grammar another word for common noun

adjective

of or relating to a name or title
(of a proper noun) used as a common noun

Derived forms of appellative

appellatively, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012