eponym

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἐπώνυμος (epṓnumos), from ἐπί (epí, “upon”) + ὄνυμα (ónuma), Aeolic variant of ὄνομα (ónoma, “name”). See -onym.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛpənɪm/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

eponym (plural eponyms)

1. The name of a real or fictitious person whose name has, or is thought to have, given rise to the name of a particular item.

   Romulus is the eponym of Rome.

2. A word formed from a real or fictive person’s name.

   Rome is an eponym of Romulus.

   • 2004, Bill Sherk, 500 Years of New Words →ISBN:

     [Mesmer] lives on today as the root of the eponym mesmerize.

   • 2015, Robert B. Taylor, What Every Medical Writer Needs to Know →ISBN:

     For their dubious contribution to literature, Doctor Bowdler and Henrietta were recognized with the eponym bowdlerize[.]

Further reading

• eponym on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Noun

eponym c

1. eponym