What Does Eponymous Mean? | Definition & Examples
Eponymous is an adjective that describes a thing or person (e.g., a creator, inventor, discoverer, or founder) after which something is named. It can also describe the actual thing that has been named after that something or someone.
In the literary world, works that are named after their main character or protagonist can be described as eponymous (e.g., Huckleberry Finn).
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What is an eponym?
An eponym is a noun that describes a proper noun, especially a person’s name, that becomes the name for something else (e.g., Charles Richter, the seismologist for whom the Richter scale is named).
It can also refer to the word itself (e.g., the word “sandwich” named after the 4th Earl of Sandwich). Eponym is related to the adjective eponymous.
Frequently asked questions about eponymous
- How do I pronounce eponymous?
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Eponymous is a four syllable word, and the emphasis falls on the second syllable: [ih-pon-uh-muss].