• Retronymy

    Origin

    - + retro + -

    Full definition of retronymy

    Noun

    retronymy

    (uncountable)
    1. The process of creating retronyms; coining new words for existing concepts because the meaning of the original word has broadened.
      • 2012, e-Study Guide for: Integrated Business Communication, Much retronymy is driven by advances in technology.
      • 2013, Peter Bachmann, ‎Michael Köhl, ‎& Risto Päivinen, Assessment of Biodiversity for Improved Forest Planning, Of special interest to terminologists is retronymy, which consists of renaming an existing concept more precisely in order to adjust to a conceptual shift, as will be illustrated below.
      • 2015, M. Rogers, Specialised Translation: Shedding the 'Non-Literary' Tag, What they describe is the well-known phenomenon of retronymy (see, for instance, Ahmad & Collingham 1996). Whatever such consequential terminological changes are called, this understanding of 'gap' is system-related.
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