cognomen

[ kog-noh-muh n ]

/ kɒgˈnoʊ mən /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR cognomen ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural cog·no·mens, cog·nom·i·na [kog-nom-uh-nuh] /kɒgˈnɒm ə nə/.

a surname.

any name, especially a nickname.

the third and commonly the last name of a citizen of ancient Rome, indicating the person's house or family, as “Caesar” in “Gaius Julius Caesar.”Compare agnomen(def 1).

Nearby words

cognitivism, cognizable, cognizance, cognizant, cognize, cognomen, cognoscenti, cognoscible, cognoscitive, cognovit, cogon

Origin of cognomen

1800–10; < Latin, equivalent to co- co- + nōmen name, with -g- on model of nōscī: cognōscī; see cognition

Related forms

cog·nom·i·nal

[kog-nom-uh-nuh l, -noh-muh-] /kɒgˈnɒm ə nəl, -ˈnoʊ mə-/, adjectivecog·nom·i·nal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cognomen

By adopting the cognomen of Habrodiaitos, or high-liver, he brought upon himself the nickname of Rhabdodiaitos, or brush-man.
History of Ancient Art|Franz von Reber
Her archetypal name, Istar being only a cognomen, the name given her by the people.
Istar of Babylon|Margaret Horton Potter
The driver of this vehicle was a sable individual, who has since attained some notoriety under the cognomen of "Jonas."
Venus in Boston;|George Thompson
The Garnetts discussed the cognomen over the play-room fire.
A College Girl|Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey

His size was strongly in contrast to his cognomen—for his age he was one of the smallest fellows I ever saw.
My First Voyage to Southern Seas|W.H.G. Kingston

British Dictionary definitions for cognomen

cognomen

/ (kɒɡˈnəʊmɛn) /

noun plural -nomens or -nomina (-ˈnɒmɪnə, -ˈnəʊ-)

(originally) an ancient Roman's third name or nickname, which later became his family nameSee also agnomen, nomen, praenomen

Derived Forms

cognominal (kɒɡˈnɒmɪnəl, -ˈnəʊ-), adjectivecognominally, adverb

Word Origin for cognomen

C19: from Latin: additional name, from co- together + nōmen name; influenced in form by cognōscere to learn

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