noun
- Plural of praenomen; the first or personal name of a Roman citizen, used within the family.
Usage: historical; formal
Examples
- In ancient Rome, prenomens such as Marcus, Gaius, and Lucius were common among male citizens.
- The prenomens of Roman families were often passed down through generations.
- Historians study prenomens to understand Roman naming conventions and family structures.
- Unlike cognomens, prenomens were typically used only by close family members.
- The list of prenomens available to Romans was relatively limited compared to modern given names.