antinomasia
/ˌæntɪnoʊˈmeɪʒə/
noun
- A figure of speech in which a descriptive phrase or title is used instead of a person's name, or a proper name is used to represent a general class.
- Using 'a Judas' to mean a traitor is a form of antinomasia.
- Calling a powerful ruler 'the Great' is an example of antinomasia.
- In everyday speech, saying 'the Bard' to mean Shakespeare is antinomasia.