Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SOBRIQUET
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pronounce
SOBRIQUET:
Say it "SO bruh kay."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
New York's sobriquet is "the Big Apple." Ireland's is "the Emerald Isle." Frank Sinatra's was "Ol' Blue Eyes." Charles de Gaulle's was "The Great Asparagus." George Costanza wished his were "T-Bone."
Sobriquets are, of course, nicknames.
Another synonym of nickname and sobriquet is e____et. Can you recall that one? It can simply mean "a descriptive name," but these days it often means "a cruel, offensive name or description."
And, a specific kind of nickname or sobriquet is a nom ______re: a nickname someone uses when they take part in a war or a competition. Can you recall that one, too? It's French for "war name."
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
"Sobriquet" comes straight from French, where it means both "nickname" and "little joke." It might literally mean "a chuck under the chin," that kind of affectionate tap you might give to a child or a pet.
In English, "sobriquet" just means "nickname."
In other words, a sobriquet is a name or a label that refers to someone or something in a way that's cuter, more playful, more familiar, more interesting, more descriptive, or more complimentary, compared to that person or thing's real name.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech: noun, the countable kind: "he earned his sobriquet," "these sobriquets are outdated."
Other forms:
Sometimes you'll see it spelled "soubriquet."
The only other common form is the plural nouns, "sobriquets."
It's extremely rare, but you can use "sobriquet" as a verb, too, as in "They sobriquetted Harry as 'The Boy Who Lived.'"
Equally rare is the adjective, "sobriquetical."
how to use it:
Compared to the more common, more familiar word "nickname," the word "sobriquet" adds a touch of playful sophistication. So, pick "sobriquet" when you need to sound fun and fancy. Otherwise, pick "nickname."
Talk about people, places, and things getting, gaining, and bearing sobriquets; living up to their sobriquets; shedding or losing their sobriquets, etc.
Often we talk about people giving someone a sobriquet, or about deeds or events that earn someone a sobriquet.
Finally, although sobriquets are often cute, playful, or complimentary, they can be insulting, or a mixed bag. Here's the Washington Post: "[Gloria Vanderbilt's] backhanded sobriquet: The Duchess of Denim." Here's Fox News: "The 'Cardinal' was a sobriquet FBI agents used to denigrate their leader." And here's the New York Times: "Mr. Trump would slap a childish sobriquet ['Jeff Bozo'] on a man he perceives as a threat [Jeff Bezos]."
examples:
"The sobriquet of 'Honest Abe' was early won by him and never lost....he never wavered in his loyalty to truth, to justice, and to honesty."
— John B. Remsburg, Abraham Lincoln: Was He A Christian?, 1893
"'I remember walking into [Target] and seeing the product sold out completely... The fixtures were ravaged by the customers, and people were complaining online that they didn't get to buy. In some ways, it was considered a debacle.' In retrospect, it was a smash, earning the store the affectionate sobriquet Tar-Jay."
— Ruth La Ferla, New York Times, 28 August 2019
has this page helped you understand "sobriquet"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "sobriquet" without saying "moniker" or "handle."
try it out:
Talk about someone who goes by a sobriquet. It might be a fictional character, or someone famous, or someone you know personally. How did this person get their sobriquet? Is it fitting for them, or is it playful or ironic in some way?
I'll share an example from Rodman Philbrick's novel Freak the Mighty. One character's sobriquet is "Grim," which he got because his face always looks serious. It's a pretty appropriate sobriquet, since his face matches his manner: he's serious, often expecting disaster.
Check out this wonderful passage from the novel. It introduced me to the word "sobriquet" back in middle school:
"Gram must be your grandmother," he says. "Grim would be, I suppose, a sobriquet for your grandfather, based on his demeanour."
I go, "Huh?"
Freak grins and pushes back his yellow hair, and he goes, "Pardon my vocabulary. Sobriquet means 'nickname', and demeanour means 'expression'. I merely postulated that you call your grandfather 'Grim' because he's grim. Postulate means—"
"I know," I say. Which is a lie, except I can guess what he means, figure it out that way.
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is Lightning Rhyming Recall!
In each issue this month, see how fast you can recall three words. They’re unrelated in meaning--probably--but they rhyme. To check your answers, scroll to the bottom of the issue. We’ll start out easy and ramp up the difficulty as the month goes on. Enjoy!
Each word below rhymes with RECITE:
A. (2 syllables, verb) To stir up something bad and make it happen is to...
B. (2 syllables, verb) A formal, serious, literary synonym of "to pen" and "to write" is to...
C. (2 syllables, verb) Not just to kindle something, but to set it on fire: to bring it into brilliant, passionate existence is to...
review this word:
A. PET NAME.
B. GIVEN NAME.
C. PSEUDONYM (fake name).
2. In its obituary of the singer and producer Andre Williams, the Washington Post noted his "talking blues style," his "street-wise humor," and his sobriquet, _____
A. Mr. Rhythm.
B. the 1956 hit "Bacon Fat."
C. his struggle with drugs and alcohol.
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.
I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
New York's sobriquet is "the Big Apple." Ireland's is "the Emerald Isle." Frank Sinatra's was "Ol' Blue Eyes." Charles de Gaulle's was "The Great Asparagus." George Costanza wished his were "T-Bone." "Sobriquet" comes straight from French, where it means both "nickname" and "little joke." It might literally mean "a chuck under the chin," that kind of affectionate tap you might give to a child or a pet.
Part of speech: noun, the countable kind: "he earned his sobriquet," "these sobriquets are outdated."
Compared to the more common, more familiar word "nickname," the word "sobriquet" adds a touch of playful sophistication. So, pick "sobriquet" when you need to sound fun and fancy. Otherwise, pick "nickname."
"The sobriquet of 'Honest Abe' was early won by him and never lost....he never wavered in his loyalty to truth, to justice, and to honesty."
Explain the meaning of "sobriquet" without saying "moniker" or "handle."
Talk about someone who goes by a sobriquet. It might be a fictional character, or someone famous, or someone you know personally. How did this person get their sobriquet? Is it fitting for them, or is it playful or ironic in some way?
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
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