nickname

[ nik-neym ]
/ ˈnɪkˌneɪm /

noun

a name added to or substituted for the proper name of a person, place, etc., as in affection, ridicule, or familiarity: He has always loathed his nickname of “Whizzer.”
a familiar form of a proper name, as Jim for James and Peg for Margaret.

verb (used with object), nick·named, nick·nam·ing.

to give a nickname to (a person, town, etc.); call by a nickname.
Archaic. to call by an incorrect or improper name; misname.

Origin of nickname

1400–50; late Middle English nekename, for ekename (the phrase an ekename being taken as a nekename). See eke2, name; cf. newt

OTHER WORDS FROM nickname

nick·nam·er, noun un·nick·named, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for nickname

British Dictionary definitions for nickname

nickname
/ (ˈnɪkˌneɪm) /

noun

a familiar, pet, or derisory name given to a person, animal, or place his nickname was Lefty because he was left-handed
a shortened or familiar form of a person's name Joe is a nickname for Joseph

verb

(tr) to call by a nickname; give a nickname to

Word Origin for nickname

C15 a nekename, mistaken division of an ekename an additional name, from eke addition + name