Since we do not have the answer choices, the general answer below will help you choose the best definition for the word "epithet" as it is used in the excerpt:
Since the excerpt is about calling someone epithets such as "dear", we can conclude that "epithet" means a nickname, or an adjective that describes someone.
This question asks us to pay attention to context clues to figure out the meaning of a word.
A context clue is a piece of information given by an author that helps us understand the meaning of words in the text.
In this case, the context clue is the speaker calling the other person "dear", saying there is no lovelier epithet than this one.
With that information, we can conclude that an "epithet" is a nickname or an adjective we use to address others, usually expressing a characteristic of that person.
Learn more about epithets here:
https://brainly.com/question/1462097
