Standard Lemma guide

praenomen

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /pɹiːˈnəʊ.mən/
  • General-American: /pɹiˈnoʊ.mən/
  • rhymes with -əʊmən

1

noun

Meaning 1

An Ancient Roman given name.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Examples

  • Julius Caesar's praenomen was Gaius.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The throne name of a pharaoh, the fourth of the five names of the royal titulary, traditionally encircled by a cartouche and preceded by the title nswt-bjtj.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

Examples

  • Tutankhamun's praenomen or throne name was Nebkheperrure, "Lord of the forms of Ra".

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The genus name in a binomial scientific name.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology

Examples

  • In the name Tyrannosaurus rex, "Tyrannosaurus" is the praenomen.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

the first name of a citizen of ancient Rome

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: first name, given name, forename

History

Etymology

From Latin praenōmen, from prae- (“pre-: before”) + nōmen (“name, family name”).

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: prenom — ancient Roman first name
  • German: Pränomen — ancient Roman first name
  • Greek: προωνύμιο (proonýmio) — ancient Roman first name
  • Ancient Greek: προωνύμιον (proōnúmion) — ancient Roman first name
  • Latin: praenōmen — ancient Roman first name
  • Marathi: प्राएनोमेन (prāenomen) — ancient Roman first name
  • Spanish: prenombre — ancient Roman first name