Editing Antonomasia (section)

{{Short description|Figure of speech}}
{{Expand French|Antonomase|topic=culture|date=August 2013}}
In [[rhetoric]], '''antonomasia''' is a kind of [[metonymy]] in which an [[epithet]] or phrase takes the place of a proper name, such as "the little [[corporal]]" for [[Napoleon I]], or conversely the use of a proper name as an [[archetypal name]], to express a generic idea. A frequent instance of antonomasia in the [[Late Middle Ages]] and early [[Renaissance]] was the use of the term "the Philosopher" to refer to [[Aristotle]].

Stylistically, such epithets may be used for [[elegant variation]] to reduce repetition of names in phrases. The word comes from the [[Greek language|Greek]] {{lang|grc|ἀντονομασία}}, ''antonomasia'', itself from the verb {{lang|grc|ἀντονομάζειν}}, ''antonomazein'' 'to name differently'.<ref>{{LSJ|a)ntonomasi/a|ἀντονομασία}},{{LSJ|a)ntonoma/zw|ἀντονομάζειν|ref}}.</ref><ref>''Oxford English Dictionary'', ''[http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/8937 s.v.]''</ref><ref name=eb1911>{{EB1911|wstitle=Antonomasia|inline=1|volume=2|page=151}}</ref>

Antonomasia can also refer to the transformation of a proper name into a common name, carrying certain defining traits<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Arnaud |first=Pierre J. L. |date=2022-12-28 |title=Metaphor, metonymy and the nounness of proper names |url=https://journals.openedition.org/lexis/6617#tocto1n4 |journal=Lexis. Journal in English Lexicology |language=en |issue=20 |doi=10.4000/lexis.6617 |issn=1951-6215}}</ref>. For example, designing someone as an apollo instead of saying he's an handsome young man.