Anonymous

Pronunciation

• IPA: /əˈnÉ’nÉ™mÉ™s/
• Rhymes: -nɪmÉ™s

Origin

Borrowed into English around 1600 from Late Latin anonymus, from Ancient Greek ἀνώνυμος (anōnumos, "without name"), from ἀν- (an, "without") + ὄνυμα, Aeolic dialectal form of ὄνομα (onoma, "name").

Full definition of anonymous

Adjective

1. (not comparable) Lacking a name; not named and determined, as an animal not assigned to any species.
2. (not comparable) Without any name acknowledged of a person responsible, as that of author, contributor, or the like.''an anonymous pamphlet; an anonymous subscription.
3. (not comparable) Of unknown name; whose name is withheldan anonymous author; an anonymous benefactor.
• 2012, April 19, Josh Halliday, Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised?, The shift in the balance of power online has allowed anyone to publish to the world, from dispirited teenagers in south London to an anonymous cyber-dissident in a Middle East autocracy.
4. No customer personal data will be retained unless it is rendered anonymous.
5. (comparable, figurative) Lacking individuality.an anonymous office block in a soulless industrial estate

Synonyms

• (lacking a name) nameless
• (without acknowledged responsible agent)
• (of unknown name) unidentified, unknown, unnamed
• (lacking individuality) faceless
• (without consideration of prestige or background) on the merits

Antonyms

• onymous

Derived terms

Related terms