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epithet

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Epithet is defined as a term used to give a characteristic to whatever or whomever is being described.

(noun)

An example of epithet is to say women are weak.

See epithet in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

an adjective, noun, or phrase, often specif. a disparaging one, used to characterize some person or thing (Ex.: “egghead” for an intellectual)
a descriptive name or title (Ex.: Philip the Fair; America the Beautiful)

Origin: L epitheton < Gr, lit., that which is added < epitithenai, to put on, add < epi-, on + tithenai, to put, do

Related Forms:

epithetic adjective or epithetical

See epithet in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. A term used to characterize a person or thing, such as rosy-fingered in rosy-fingered dawn or the Great in Catherine the Great.
b. A term used as a descriptive substitute for the name or title of a person, such as The Great Emancipator for Abraham Lincoln.
An abusive or contemptuous word or phrase.
Biology A word in the scientific name of an animal or plant following the name of the genus and denoting a species, variety, or other division of the genus, as sativa in Lactuca sativa.

Origin:

Origin: Latin epitheton

Origin: , from Greek

Origin: , neuter of epithetos, added, attributed

Origin: , from epitithenai, epithe-, to add to

Origin: : epi-, epi-

Origin: + tithenai, to place; see dhē- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms:

epˌi·thetˈic, epˌi·thetˈi·cal adjective

Usage Note: Strictly speaking, an epithet need not be derogatory, but the term is commonly used as a simple synonym for term of abuse or slur, as in There is no place for racial epithets in a police officer's vocabulary. This usage is accepted by 80 percent of the Usage Panel.

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