Agnomen

noun

Meaning

An additional name or nickname bestowed upon a Roman citizen to denote a specific achievement, characteristic, or branch of a family.

Examples

  • Publius Cornelius Scipio earned the agnomen Africanus after his decisive victory over Hannibal in North Africa.
  • While the nomen identified his clan, the agnomen served to distinguish him from other members of the same family line.

Synonyms: nickname, sobriquet, epithet, appellation