cognomen Definition
- 1a surname, especially one indicating a particular family line or ancestral heritage
- 2a nickname or epithet given to a person as a distinguishing moniker
Using cognomen: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "cognomen" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
His cognomen was Caesar, which he adopted as his name.
Example
The cognomen 'the Great' was given to Alexander for his military conquests.
Example
Cicero's full name was Marcus Tullius Cicero, with Cicero being his cognomen.
cognomen Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with cognomen
an additional cognomen given to a person, usually in honor of an achievement or accomplishment
Example
The agnomen 'Africanus' was given to Scipio after his victory in the Second Punic War.
the first name of a Roman citizen, used to distinguish between members of the same family with the same nomen and cognomen
Example
Gaius Julius Caesar's praenomen was Gaius.
tria nomina
the three-part naming system used by ancient Romans, consisting of the praenomen, nomen, and cognomen
Example
The tria nomina of Gaius Julius Caesar were Gaius (praenomen), Julius (nomen), and Caesar (cognomen).
Origins of cognomen
from Latin 'cognōmen', meaning 'surname'
Summary: cognomen in Brief
The term 'cognomen' [kog-noh-men] refers to a surname or nickname given to a person as a distinguishing moniker. It is often used to indicate a particular family line or ancestral heritage, such as in 'Cicero's cognomen was Cicero.' 'Cognomen' is part of the tria nomina naming system used by ancient Romans, along with praenomen and nomen.
