eponym
[ ep-uh-nim ]
/ ˈɛp ə nɪm /
noun
a person, real or imaginary, from whom something, as a tribe, nation, or place, takes or is said to take its name: Brut, the supposed grandson of Aeneas, is the eponym of the Britons.
a word based on or derived from a person's name.
any ancient official whose name was used to designate his year of office.
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Origin of eponym
First recorded in 1840–50; back formation from eponymous
OTHER WORDS FROM eponym
ep·o·nym·ic, adjectiveWords nearby eponym
epochal, epode, epoetin alfa, eponychia, eponychium, eponym, eponymous, eponymy, epoophorectomy, epoophoron, epopee
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for eponym
British Dictionary definitions for eponym
eponym
/ (ˈɛpəˌnɪm) /
noun
a name, esp a place name, derived from the name of a real or mythical person, as for example Constantinople from Constantine I
the name of the person from which such a name is derivedin the Middle Ages, "Brutus" was thought to be the eponym of "Britain"
Derived forms of eponym
eponymic, adjectiveWord Origin for eponym
C19: from Greek epōnumos giving a significant name
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Medical definitions for eponym
eponym
[ ĕp′ə-nĭm′ ]
n.
A name of a drug, structure, or disease based on or derived from the name of a person.
Other words from eponym
ep′o•nym′ic adj.The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
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