antonomasia Hear it!

antonomasia definition

an·to·no·ma·sia (an′tə nō′māz̸hə)

noun

  1. the use of an epithet or title in place of a name, as in calling a judge his honor
  2. the use of a proper name in place of a common noun which it represents, as in calling a philanderer a Don Juan

Etymology: L < Gr < antonomazein, to call by another name < anti-, instead of + onomazein, to name < onoma, name

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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