sobriquet

American  

[soh-bruh-kay, -ket, soh-bruh-kay, -ket, saw-bree-ke] / ˈsoʊ brəˌkeɪ, -ˌkɛt, ˌsoʊ brəˈkeɪ, -ˈkɛt, sɔ briˈkɛ /

Also soubriquet

noun

• sobriquets
  plural

1. a nickname.

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sobriquet British  

/ ˈsəʊbrɪˌkeɪ /

noun

1. a humorous epithet, assumed name, or nickname

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sobriquetical
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sobriquets
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of sobriquet

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”

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Explanation

If people start calling you "Mac" because you like to eat macaroni and cheese for every meal, then you not only have a strange diet, but you also have a sobriquet — in other words, a nickname. Sobriquet is derived from the French word soubriquet. Sobriquets are often but not always humorous, so in order to pronounce this word, you might want to remember that the last syllable rhymes with play. Sobriquets are usually given to you by other people, but you can choose one for yourself if you want. If your name is Jennifer and you tend to introduce yourself as Jen, this also qualifies as a sobriquet.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sobriquet sobriquets

Her sobriquet is a journalistic creation thought to have been inspired by a celebrated 1946 movie, “The Blue Dahlia,” written by crime novelist Raymond Chandler.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

“Anthony the Turk” sounds like the sobriquet of a scoundrel in a Mafia movie.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

And though Slater earned the sobriquet “Slater the Traitor” back home, he never returned to Britain to face the consequences.

From Barron's ● Jan. 28, 2026

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.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2025

In fact, even in their absence they could not be spoken of too harshly unless we used the sobriquet “They.”

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

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

From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2025

Galella amassed millions of images in a career that began in the 1960s, earning sobriquets like the “paparazzo extraordinaire” for his up-close, candid shots of the rich and famous.

From Seattle Times ● May 3, 2022

She is unfettered by the sobriquets typically attached to the women who pound the hustings to rally support on behalf of a man who is running for president.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 5, 2020

But this week, as a punishing heat wave bears down on Portland and much of western Oregon, Portlanders have given their town such nicknames as “Hotlandia,” along with less polite sobriquets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2017

The press, however, generally persisted in styling him the "colored Mario," the "American Mario," &c.; and by these sobriquets he is most known to-day.

From Music and Some Highly Musical People by James M. Trotter

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Related Words

• appellation
• moniker

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