Eponymous Revisited

Eponymous Revisited Eponymous Revisited Eponymous Revisited By Maeve Maddox A reader asks, What is it with eponymous? I never understand its use. Eponymous is the adjective form of the noun eponym. It derives from the Greek combination epi (upon) + onyma (name). eponym noun: one who gives, or is supposed to give, his name to a people, place, or institution. The earliest application of eponymous was in the context of the names of countries, tribes, and nations. For example: Brutus, or  Brute of Troy, is a legendary descendant of the Trojan hero Aeneas, known in medieval British legend as the eponymous founder and first king of Britain.   Consider the case of  Pelops, the  eponymous  hero of the  Peloponnese. First, at this stage Jacob is not yet  the eponymous hero of  a united Israel, but only of the Northern Kingdom. [Jacob was given the name Israel when he wrestled the angel.]    In current usage, the phrase â€Å"eponymous hero† usually applies to the character for which a literary work is named. For example: Hot-Blooded Paolo is  the eponymous hero of  the novel Paolo  il Caldo (1964) by Vitaliano Brancati. On the universality of the westerner, exemplified by  the eponymous hero of  George Stevens’s Shane (1953), see Warshow, 150-151. The eponymous hero of  Goncharovs Oblomov (1858), who is unable to motivate himself to leave his bed, is the epitome of the passive hero.   American actress Betty Bronson starred as  the eponymous hero of  the film Peter Pan (1924). Eponymous can apply to anything that takes its name from a person. For example: Tesla  invented his  eponymous  coil in 1891.   Website of New York City designer Nancy Rose and her  eponymous designer sportswear. As for  John Birch, well never know what he would have thought of his  eponymous society. Note: I found several examples of the misspelling epynonymous. Related posts: The Eponymy Family 30 Words Inspired by 29 People and An Elephant Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Signs and Symbols You Should KnowThat vs. Which10 Tips to Improve Your Writing Skills