epithet

An epithet is an adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a characteristic quality of a person or thing, often used as a nickname or title. In rhetoric, an epithet is a figure of speech that attributes a characteristic by description rather than by naming. The term comes from the Greek epithetos or epitheton, meaning "an added name."

Historically, epithets are prominent in ancient literature, especially Greek. Homeric epithets such as "rosy-fingered dawn" and "rapid-footed Achilles" function as mnemonic formulae and help convey character and mood. In some cultures, fixed epithets or honorifics become part of a name, such as "Alexander the Great" or "Philip II of Macedon."

Epithets can be positive, neutral, or negative. They include descriptive nicknames (sobriquet), titles, and rhetorical devices. Modern usage spans literature, journalism, and everyday speech, where "the Barbarossa" or "the Great" may be appended to a name, and where pejorative epithets may be used to insult or stigmatize a person or group (though such use can be harmful or inappropriate).

In composition, epithets can serve to quicken memory, create imagery, or reveal character. They are distinct from mere appellations because they encode a characteristic attribute or reputation and may persist across contexts.