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namesakea person or thing having the same name as another

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: a person or thing having the same name as another

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈneɪmseɪk/

Example Sentences

  • Martin Luther King Jr. was proud to be the namesake of the great reformer Martin Luther.
  • The pizza restaurant 'Mario's' was actually founded by a guy named Steve, not his Italian namesake.
  • My cat Shakespeare shows no interest in literature, unlike his famous namesake.

namesake

NOUN

[/ˈneɪmseɪk/]

a person or thing having the same name as another

Grandfather and grandson sharing the same name
💡 Concept

Grandfather and grandson sharing the same name

A namesake's handshake honors the keepsake
🎵 Rhyme

A namesake's handshake honors the keepsake

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈneɪmseɪk/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈneɪmseɪk/

🌳Etymology

Rootname
Suffix-sake

Origin

Namesake originated in the 16th century from the phrase 'for the name's sake,' reflecting the practice of bestowing the same name upon a person to honor someone else. The term emerged from this custom of naming children or individuals after notable figures or relatives.

Breakdown

name (a person's designation or appellation) + sake (purpose, benefit, or regard). The compound originally meant 'for the sake of the name'—literally, a person given the same name for honoring another.

🎵Rhyme

keepsakehandshakemistake
keepsake
handshake
mistake

🔗Collocations

famous namesake
namesake brand
proud namesake
literary namesake
biblical namesake

📝Examples

Martin Luther King Jr. was proud to be the namesake of the great reformer Martin Luther.

😄 Fun example

The pizza restaurant 'Mario's' was actually founded by a guy named Steve, not his Italian namesake.

😄 Fun example

My cat Shakespeare shows no interest in literature, unlike his famous namesake.

The Ford Motor Company is a namesake company founded by Henry Ford.

😄 Fun example

Little Einstein keeps getting in trouble at school, disappointing his genius namesake.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

eponymhomonymname-bearersame-named person

Antonyms

different nameunique name

Related

namehonortributelegacyinherit

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