: of, relating to, or being the person or thing for whom or which something is named : of, relating to, or being an eponym
Did you know?
It's no coincidence that "eponymous" has to do with naming - it comes to us from the Greek adjective epōnymos, which is itself from onyma, meaning "name." "Onyma" has lent its name to a number of English words, including "synonymous," "pseudonym," and "anonymous." Traditionally, an eponymous person or thing (i.e., an "eponym") might be a mythical ancestor or totem believed to be the source of a clan's name. Today, however, "eponymous" more typically refers to such individuals as the front man of "Theo's Trio" or the owner of "Sally's Restaurant" (Theo and Sally, respectively, of course). The things that are named for such name-providers are also "eponymous." For example, we can speak of "the eponymous 'Ed Sullivan Show'" as well as "the eponymous Ed Sullivan."
Example Sentences
… Ramayana, an Indian epic which chronicles, in sixty thousand verses, the adventures of its eponymous hero Rama … Leila Hadley, Give Me the World, (1958) 1999"Cool Britannia," which goes back to Ben and Jerry's eponymous ice cream in Spring 1996, met its sell-by-date within weeks … Harold Perkin, Times Literary Supplement, 18 Dec. 1998Karen Hubert Allison, the eponymous (if you count middle names) creator of Hubert's, didn't know she was making dining history … Peter Kaminsky, New York Times Book Review, 11 May 1997
Recent Examples on the WebJennifer Hudson celebrates her birthday and her eponymous new daytime talk show at Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace in N.Y.C. on Sept. 12. People Staff, Peoplemag, 19 Sep. 2022 Gomez is vying for her first Emmy as an executive producer of Only Murders in the Building, a top contender for outstanding comedy series; Clarkson has won five Daytime Emmys in the past three years for her eponymous talk show. Paul Grein, Billboard, 7 Sep. 2022 Tamron Hall is still pumped after taking home her second Daytime Emmy award for her eponymous talk show. Janine Rubenstein, PEOPLE.com, 3 July 2022 Tamron Hall also won for hosting her eponymous informative talk show, while Turning the Tables With Robin Roberts took home the award for best informative talk show. Tyler Coates, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 June 2022 The Chrisleys are best known for their eponymous reality show, which is in its ninth season on USA Network and was previously renewed for a 10th season. Lauren Huff, EW.com, 8 June 2022 Grieco has spent more than 20 years in the beauty business, launching the award-winning eponymous brand nyakio™, based on her family’s Kenyan beauty secrets, in 2002. Angelique Jackson, Variety, 25 Aug. 2022 Clemens and his eponymous brand's totes cost no more than $300 and come in three sizes and nearly every shade on the color wheel. Scottie Andrew, CNN, 30 July 2022 The star has been busy promoting the launch of her eponymous beauty brand this summer. Quinci Legardye, Harper's BAZAAR, 30 July 2022 See More