English Synonyms and Antonyms — Name to Necessity

agnomen, denomination, prenomen, surname, appellation, designation, style, title.

cognomen, epithet, _Name_ in the most general sense, signifying the word by which a person or thing is called or known, includes all other words of this group; in this sense every noun is a _name_; in the more limited sense a _name_ is personal, an _appellation_ is descriptive, a _title_ is official.

In the phrase William the Conqueror, King of England, William is the man's _name_, which belongs to him personally, independently of any rank or achievement; Conqueror is the _appellation_ which he won by his acquisition of England; King is the _title_ denoting his royal rank.

An _epithet_ (Gr.

_epitheton_, something added, from _epi_, on, and _tithemi_, put) is something placed upon a person or thing; the _epithet_ does not strictly belong to an object like a _name_, but is given to mark some assumed characteristic, good or bad; an _epithet_ is always an adjective, or a word or phrase used as an adjective, and is properly used to emphasize a characteristic but not to add information, as in the phrase "the _sounding_ sea;" the idea that an _epithet_ is always opprobrious, and that any word used opprobriously is an _epithet_ is a popular error.

_Designation_ may be used much in the sense of _appellation_, but is more distinctive or specific in meaning; a _designation_ properly so called rests upon some inherent quality, while an _appellation_ may be fanciful.

Among the Romans the _prenomen_ was the individual part of a man's _name_, the "nomen" designated the gens to which he belonged, the _cognomen_ showed his family and was borne by all patricians, and the _agnomen_ was added to refer to his achievements or character.

When scientists _name_ an animal or a plant, they give it a binary or binomial technical _name_ comprising a generic and a specific _appellation_.

In modern use, a personal _name_, as John or Mary, is given in infancy, and is often called the given _name_ or Christian _name_, or simply the first _name_ (rarely the _prenomen_);

the _cognomen_ or _surname_ is the family _name_ which belongs to one by right of birth or marriage.

_Style_ is the legal _designation_ by which a person or house is known in official or business relations; as, the _name_ and _style_ of Baring Brothers.

The term _denomination_ is applied to a separate religious organization, without the opprobrious meaning attaching to the word "sect;" also, to designate any class of like objects collectively, especially money or notes of a certain value;

as, the sum was in notes of the _denomination_ of one thousand dollars.

Compare TERM.

* * * * * NATIVE.

Synonyms: indigenous, innate, natal, natural, original.

_Native_ denotes that which belongs to one by birth; _natal_ that which pertains to the event of birth; _natural_ denotes that which rests upon inherent qualities of character or being.

We speak of one's _native_ country, or of his _natal_ day; of _natural_ ability, _native_ genius.

Compare INHERENT; PRIMEVAL; RADICAL.

Antonyms: acquired, alien, artificial, assumed, foreign, unnatural.

* * * * * NAUTICAL.

Synonyms: marine, maritime, naval, ocean, oceanic.

_Marine_ (L. _mare_, sea) signifies belonging to the ocean, _maritime_, a secondary derivative from the same root, bordering on or connected with the _ocean_; as, _marine_ products; _marine_ animals; _maritime_ nations; _maritime_ laws.

_Nautical_ (Gr.

_nautes_, a sailor) denotes primarily anything connected with sailors, and hence with ships or navigation; _naval_ (L. _navis_, Gr.

_naus_, a ship) refers to the armed force of a nation on the sea, and, by extension, to similar forces on lakes and rivers; as, a _naval_ force; a _nautical_ almanac.

_Ocean_, used adjectively, is applied to that which belongs to or is part of the _ocean_; _oceanic_ may be used in the same sense, but is especially applied to that which borders on (or upon) or is connected with, or which is similar to or suggestive of an _ocean_; we speak of _ocean_ currents, _oceanic_ islands, or, perhaps, of an _oceanic_ intellect.

* * * * * NEAT.

Synonyms: clean, dapper, nice, prim, tidy, cleanly, natty, orderly, spruce, trim.

That which is _clean_ is simply free from soil or defilement of any kind.

Things are _orderly_ when in due relation to other things; a room or desk is _orderly_ when every article is in place; a person is _orderly_ who habitually keeps things so.

_Tidy_ denotes that which conforms to propriety in general; an unlaced shoe may be perfectly _clean_, but is not _tidy_.

_Neat_ refers to that which is _clean_ and _tidy_ with nothing superfluous, conspicuous, or showy, as when we speak of plain but _neat_ attire; the same idea of freedom from the superfluous appears in the phrases "a _neat_ speech," "a _neat_ turn," "a _neat_ reply," etc. A _clean_ cut has no ragged edges; a _neat_ stroke just does what is intended.

_Nice_ is stronger than _neat_, implying value and beauty; a _cheap_, coarse dress may be perfectly _neat_, but would not be termed _nice_.

_Spruce_ is applied to the show and affectation of neatness with a touch of smartness, and is always a term of mild contempt; as, a _spruce_ serving man.

_Trim_ denotes a certain shapely and elegant firmness, often with suppleness and grace;

as, a _trim_ suit; a _trim_ figure.

_Prim_ applies to a precise, formal, affected nicety.

_Dapper_ is _spruce_ with the suggestion of smallness and slightness; _natty_, a diminutive of _neat_, suggests minute elegance, with a tendency toward the exquisite; as, a _dapper_ little fellow in a _natty_ business suit.

Antonyms: dirty, negligent, slouchy, uncared for, disorderly, rough, slovenly, unkempt, dowdy, rude, soiled, untidy.

* * * * * NECESSARY.

Synonyms: essential, infallible, required, unavoidable, indispensable, needed, requisite, undeniable.

inevitable, needful, That is _necessary_ which must exist, occur, or be true; which in the nature of things can not be otherwise.

That which is _essential_ belongs to the essence of a thing, so that the thing can not exist in its completeness without it; that which is _indispensable_ may be only an adjunct, but it is one that can not be spared; vigorous health is _essential_ to an arctic explorer; warm clothing is _indispensable_.

That which is _requisite_ (or _required_) is so in the judgment of the person requiring it, but may not be so absolutely; thus, the _requisite_ is more a matter of personal feeling than the _indispensable_.

_Inevitable_ (L. _in_, not, and _evito_, shun) is primarily the exact equivalent of the Saxon _unavoidable_; both words are applied to things which some at least would escape or prevent, while that which is _necessary_ may meet with no objection; food is _necessary_, death is _inevitable_; a _necessary_ conclusion satisfies a thinker; an _inevitable_ conclusion silences opposition.

An _infallible_ proof is one that necessarily leads the mind to a sound conclusion.

_Needed_ and _needful_ are more concrete than _necessary_, and respect an end to be attained; we speak of a _necessary_ inference; _necessary_ food is what one can not live without, while _needful_ food is that without which he can not enjoy comfort, health, and strength.

Antonyms: casual, needless, optional, useless, contingent, non-essential, unnecessary, worthless.

Prepositions: Necessary _to_ a sequence or a total; _for_ or _to_ a result or a person; unity is necessary _to_ (to constitute) completeness; decision is necessary _for_ command, or _for_ a commander.

* * * * * NECESSITY.

Synonyms: compulsion, fatality, requisite, destiny, fate, sine qua non, emergency, indispensability, unavoidableness, essential, indispensableness, urgency, exigency, need, want.

extremity, requirement, _Necessity_ is the quality of being necessary, or the quality of that which can not but be, become, or be true, or be accepted as true.

_Need_ and _want_ always imply a lack; _necessity_ may be used in this sense, but in the higher philosophical sense _necessity_ simply denotes the exclusion of any alternative either in thought or fact; righteousness is a _necessity_ (not a _need_) of the divine nature.

_Need_ suggests the possibility of supplying the deficiency which _want_ expresses; to speak of a person's _want_ of decision merely points out a weakness in his character; to say that he has _need_ of decision implies that he can exercise or attain it.

As applied to a deficiency, _necessity_ is more imperative than _need_; a weary person is in _need_ of rest; when rest becomes a _necessity_ he has no choice but to stop work.

An _essential_ is something, as a quality, or element, that belongs to the essence of something else so as to be inseparable from it in its normal condition, or in any complete idea or statement of it.

Compare NECESSARY;

PREDESTINATION.

Antonyms: choice, doubt, dubiousness, freedom, possibility, contingency, doubtfulness, fortuity, option, uncertainty.

Prepositions: The necessity _of_ surrender; a necessity _for_ action; this is a necessity _to_ me.

* * * * * NEGLECT.

Synonyms: