Charactonym

[Dave Monroe]

charactonym (KAR-ik-tuh-nim) noun

   A name of a fictional character that suggests the
personality traits of that character.

[From English character, from Greek charakter (marking
or engraving tool) + -onym (name).]

   Example: Mrs. Malaprop in Richard Sheridan's novel
The Rivals. She was known for misusing words with
humorous results. From mal- (bad) + apropos (fitting).

A related word is aptronym, a name that's especially
suited to one's profession, e.g. Sally Ride, the
astronaut.

  "The easy-going Lovewit lives up to his charactonym;
he enjoys a good joke, and condones mischief when it
is clever and profitable to himself."
   Kenneth Muir, et al; Shakespeare Survey: Volume 22;
Cambridge University Press; 2002.

This week's theme: words about words.

[...]

Pronunciation:
http://wordsmith.org/words/charactonym.wav
http://wordsmith.org/words/charactonym.ram

Permalink: http://wordsmith.org/words/charactonym.html


	
		
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