epithetic, a.
(ɛpɪˈθɛtɪk)
[ad. Gr. ἐπιθετικός, f. ἐπιτιθέναι (see epithet).]
† a. Abounding with epithets (obs.). b. Pertaining to, or of the nature of, an epithet.
| a 1764 Lloyd Poems, On Rhyme 178 Verse..which flows In epithetic measured prose. 1868 Arber in Sidney's Apol. Poetrie Introd. 12 The epithets and epithetic phrases. 1874 Sayce Compar. Philol. vi. 223 A language in which we may well expect to find general epithetic terms. |
Hence epiˈthetical a. = epithetic. epiˈthetically adv., in an epithetic manner.
| 1715 M. Davies Icon Libell. I. 10 Some other Epithetical Term or Additional Word. 1837 Dickens Pickw. xl, Sam, after bandying a few epithetical remarks with Mr. Smouch, followed at once. 1841 D'Israeli Amen. Lit. (1867) 557 Shakespeare bears away the prize among these epithetical allotments. 1857 F. Hall in Jrnl. Asiat. Soc. Bengal (1859) XXVII. 223 The word for ‘sun’..is, in the original, represented epithetically by a compound signifying ‘the not cold-rayed’. 1868 ― Benares Anc. & Mod. 20 At least thirty or forty epithetical designations of Benares are scattered, etc. |