What is "cognomina"

n. (plural of cognomen English)

See cognomen

1. n. a familiar name for a person (often a shortened version of a person's given name); "Joe's mother would not use his nickname and always called him Joseph"; "Henry's nickname was Slim" [syn: nickname, moniker, sobriquet, soubriquet]

2. the name used to identify the members of a family (as distinguished from each member's given name) [syn: surname, family name, last name]

3. [also: cognomina (pl)]