praenomen

or pre·no·men

[ pree-noh-muhn ]

noun,plural prae·nom·i·na [pree-nom-uh-nuh, -noh-muh-], /priˈnɒm ə nə, -ˈnoʊ mə-/, prae·no·mens.
  1. the first or personal name of a Roman citizen, as “Gaius” in “Gaius Julius Caesar.”

Origin of praenomen

1
1655–65; <Latin praenōmen, equivalent to prae-prae- + nōmenname

Other words from praenomen

  • prae·nom·i·nal [pree-nom-uh-nl], /priˈnɒm ə nl/, adjective

Words Nearby praenomen

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use praenomen in a sentence

  • His person more than justified his praenomen, for Mr. Harper Freeman, Jr., was undeniably fat.

    Corporal Cameron | Ralph Connor
  • Titus is here the first name (praenomen) which was given sons on the ninth day after their birth.

  • The name of the month in which he was born was changed to Julius, from his praenomen, and we still retain the name.

  • The name by which the poet designates himself is Propertius simply; the praenomen Sextus rests on the authority of Donatus.

  • He therefore changed his praenomen to that of his adoptive father, and put his former nomen among his cognomina.

British Dictionary definitions for praenomen

praenomen

/ (priːˈnəʊmɛn) /


nounplural -nomina (-ˈnɒmɪnə) or -nomens
  1. an ancient Roman's first or given name: See also agnomen, cognomen, nomen

Origin of praenomen

1
C18: from Latin, from prae- before + nōmen name

Derived forms of praenomen

  • praenominal (priːˈnɒmɪnəl), adjective
  • praenominally, 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