Meaning & use
moniker
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Meanings
nouncountableinformal
A name, especially a nickname or stage name that someone is known by.
Grammar: Used with an or the: under the moniker of, or earn the moniker.
Patterns
- under the moniker of something
- earn the moniker
- a moniker like something
The goalkeeper earned the moniker 'The Wall' after saving three penalties.
She recorded her first album under the moniker Luna Gray.
Everyone in the village knew him by the moniker Old Tom.
nouncountableinformalhumorous
A name or label for a product, brand, place or idea, often a playful or catchy one.
Grammar: Often follows a possessive or the: the city's moniker.
Patterns
- the moniker of something
- a catchy moniker
Chicago carries the moniker the Windy City.
The bakery gave its spicy loaf the moniker Dragon Bread.
Reporters hung the moniker 'storm of the century' on the blizzard.
Word forms
| plural | monikers |
|---|
Common combinations
- earn the moniker
- He earned the moniker 'Lucky' after surviving three accidents.
- go by the moniker
- The rapper goes by the moniker Skylark.
- catchy moniker
- The band chose a catchy moniker for its first tour.
- under the moniker
- She wrote her blog under the moniker Quiet Reader.
- affectionate moniker
- The team's affectionate moniker for the coach was Pops.
Synonyms and how they differ
- nickname
- Nickname is the everyday word for an informal name used by friends, while moniker sounds wittier and often refers to a public or catchy name.
- alias
- Alias suggests a false or alternative name, often used to hide a real identity, so it can sound suspicious.
- handle
- Handle is slang for a username or a chosen name in online or radio communication.
- pseudonym
- Pseudonym is a formal word for a false name used by a writer or artist.
Word family
- monicker noun
- a common variant spelling of moniker
- monikers noun
- the plural form, meaning several nicknames
Commonly confused: moniker or monocle? moniker or monitor?
moniker vs monocle
A monocle is a single eyeglass lens, but a moniker is a name; the two words only share a similar start.
moniker vs monitor
Monitor means a screen or to watch something carefully, which has nothing to do with names.
Practice
After scoring the winning goal four times, Dev earned the ______ 'Last-Minute Dev' from the fans.
Choose one answer.
A moniker is a nickname or name someone is known by. Monitor, monolith and mortgage sound somewhat similar but have unrelated meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “moniker”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.