sobriquet

Also sou·bri·quet

[soh-bruh-key, -ket, soh-bruh-key, -ket, saw-bree-ke]

noun

plural

sobriquets 

1. a nickname.

sobriquet

/ ˈsəʊbrɪˌkeɪ /

noun

1. a humorous epithet, assumed name, or nickname

Other Word Forms

• sobriquetical adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sobriquet¹

First recorded in 1640–50; origin uncertain; from French Middle French soubriquet “nickname, surname,” formerly also “a jest,” from Old French soubriquet, soubzbriquet “a gentle tap under the chin, a chuck under the chin”

Word History and Origins

Origin of sobriquet¹

C17: from French soubriquet, of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

While extolled by supporters as Venezuela’s “dama de hierro” — the iron lady, a sobriquet bestowed decades ago on British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher — Machado is a controversial figure, even within the Venezuelan opposition.

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Both sobriquets stem from Ludwig’s penchant for building gargantuan displays of excess at a clip that placed him in massive debt.

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An email address associated with him includes the 007 sobriquet of the world's most famous secret agent.

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The bird, in an inevitable shorthand created by the press, was given the sobriquet "Goldie", as he became headline news.

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However it's defined, though, the idea of distinct sleeping arrangements, also known by the doom-laden sobriquet "sleep divorce," sounds like a marital death knell.

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Related Words

• appellation 
• moniker