Patronymic

Alternative forms

• patronymick obsolete

Origin

From Ancient Greek πατήρ (patēr, "father") + ὄνομα (onoma, "name").

Full definition of patronymic

Adjective

1. Derived from ancestors; as, a patronymic denomination.

Noun

1. Name acquired from one's father's, grandfather's or earlier male ancestor's first name. Some cultures use a patronymic where other cultures use a surname or family name; other cultures (like Russia) use both a patronymic and a surname.

Usage notes

A patronymic is often formed by adding a prefix or suffix to a name.

Synonyms

• patronym

Coordinate terms

• matronym
• matronymic
• metronym
• metronymic

Anagrams

• pyromantic