Simple English definitions for legal terms
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An agnomen is an extra name or title that someone might have, like a nickname. In ancient Rome, people had three names: a first name, a family name, and a nickname called a cognomen. Sometimes, people would get an agnomen to recognize something they did or because they were adopted into a different family. Nomen is another Latin word that means a personal name, and it was usually one of the three names that a Roman citizen had. Nomen can also mean any name in general. There are other Latin words related to names, like nomen collectivum, which means a name for a group of things, and nomen juris, which means a legal name or title.
Definition: An additional name or title; a nickname. In Roman law, it is an additional name given in recognition of some achievement or to reflect adoption by a different gens.
Example: Alexander the Great is an example of someone with an agnomen. His real name was Alexander III of Macedon, but he earned the nickname "the Great" due to his military conquests.
Explanation: The example illustrates how an agnomen is an additional name or title given to someone to recognize their achievements or characteristics. In Alexander's case, his military conquests earned him the nickname "the Great."