onomastics

Definition

The branch of lexicology devoted to the study of names and naming, especially the origins of names.

Etymology

1936, from the adjective onomastic (“of or belonging to naming”) (1716) with a suffix -s, from French onomastique, from Ancient Greek ὀνομαστικός (onomastikós), from ὀνομαστός (onomastós, “named”), form of ὀνομάζω (onomázō, “I name”), from ὄνομα (ónoma, “name”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁nómn̥ (“name”) (whence English name).

Example Sentences

• "Her father had long been a student of onomastics, and loved to unpack the names of people they encountered as children."
• "From the point of view of onomastics, proper names fulfill many functions (individualizing, localizing, differentiating etc.)."

Related Words