sobriquet
noun
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This synonym of nickname has the same meaning in modern French as it does in English. In Middle French, however, its earlier incarnation soubriquet referred to both a nickname and a tap under the chin. Centuries later, the connection between these two meanings isn't clear, but what is clear is that the "nickname" meaning of sobriquet was well established in French by the time English speakers borrowed the term in the 17th century—and was the only meaning that was adopted. In current English, the spelling sobriquet is most common, but soubriquet is also an accepted variant.
Synonyms
Examples of sobriquet in a Sentence
Nico Lang, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2024
They weren’t referred to by this sobriquet in our family.
—Sage Mehta, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024
His outfit, coupled with his support for the pro-Trump QAnon conspiracy theory, earned him his spiritual sobriquet.
—Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2024
The two shared a nickname for Satan: Old Slew Foot, a colonial-era sobriquet for the cloven-hoofed devil that spoke to the legendary tap and soft-shoe performer.
—Alex Bhattacharji, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sobriquet 
Dictionary Entries Near sobriquet
Cite this Entry
“Sobriquet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sobriquet. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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