Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words (original) (raw)
anonymous
adjective
- without any name acknowledged, as that of author, contributor, or the like:
an anonymous letter to the editor; an anonymous donation. - of unknown name; whose name is withheld:
an anonymous author. - lacking individuality, unique character, or distinction:
an endless row of drab, anonymous houses.
/ əˈnɒnɪməs; ˌænəˈnɪmɪtɪ /
adjective
- from or by a person, author, etc, whose name is unknown or withheld
an anonymous letter - lacking individual characteristics; unexceptional
- often capital denoting an organization which provides help to applicants who remain anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
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Derived Forms
- anonymity, noun
- aˈnonymously, adverb
- aˈnonymousness, noun
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Other Words From
- a·non·y·mous·ness noun
- a·non·y·mous·ly adverb
- non·a·non·y·mous·ness noun
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Word History and Origins
Origin of anonymous1
First recorded in
1595–1605;
from Latin anōnymus, from Greek anṓnymos, equivalent to an- an- 1
+ -ōnym(a) (variant of ónyma ) -onym
(earlier (a)n- with vowel lengthening; anopheles
) + -os adjective suffix; -ous
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Word History and Origins
Origin of anonymous1
C17: via Late Latin from Greek anōnumos, from
an-
+ onoma name
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Example Sentences
The battle for the position has been a “knife-fight,” an anonymous source told The Times.
Police launched an inquiry following an anonymous tip-off in March 2023.
The storyline boosted a rumour that appeared in newspapers, in which an anonymous "friend" said Reader was definitely involved in the heist and had told him he found photos showing a leading politician abusing children.
At first, she kept anonymous and barely showed her face in videos or images.
On the eve of the summit, the BBC's US partner CBS reported that an anonymous source confirmed the two leaders had met.
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More About Anonymous
What does anonymous mean?
Anonymous means that a person’s name or identity has not been revealed or given or has been withheld, as in an anonymous donor or an anonymous tip or Survey respondents will remain anonymous.
Example: My source insists on remaining anonymous—they fear they would be punished for providing information if they were to be identified.
There are many reasons why a person might want to be anonymous. A vote might be done anonymously to protect voters or to encourage them to give an honest vote even if it might be unpopular. Reporters will attribute information to anonymous sources to protect them from political or other retribution. Some people prefer to be anonymous online.
The noun anonymity refers to the state of being anonymous.
The word anonymous is prominently used in the name of the organization Alcoholics Anonymous, which encourages anonymity among its members.
Another well-known use of the word is in the name of the modern hacker collective that calls itself Anonymous. The group’s name refers to the fact that members’ identities are unknown both to the public and other members, who rarely use their real names.
Less commonly, anonymous can be used in situations in which no name is acknowledged, such as with the authorship of a book, as in The popular book was written by an anonymous author.
A more figurative sense of anonymous is used to describe something lacking any unique character, as in We live in some anonymous suburb.
Where does anonymous come from?
The first records of the word anonymous come from around 1595. It ultimately comes from Greek anṓnymos, which is equivalent of combining an-, meaning “without,” and -ōnym, meaning “name.” Anonymous basically means a name is missing or not being given.
Anonymous should not be confused with the somewhat similar-sounding unanimous, which describes complete agreement. Careful: in some cases, a vote can be both anonymous (using secret ballots without names, for example) and unanimous (meaning everyone voted in the same way). (Of course, in such a case, it would then be obvious how everyone voted.)
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How is anonymous used in real life?
Anonymous is commonly used in the context of news reports with unnamed sources. It’s also used in the context of voting and online activity.
Random reminder that an anonymous source is not anonymous to the reporter who got that information
— Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) October 3, 2020
We've just received a very generous anonymous donation – whoever you are, thank you! 💛💙
— LUFC Trust (@lufctrust) July 13, 2017
To whoever sent me flowers,thank you! They're gorgeous and a spot of color in an otherwise gloomy outlook. Please get in touch so I can can say thanks as the card was anonymous!
— Nirave 尼拉夫 (@nirave) June 26, 2020
Try using anonymous!
True or False?
An anonymous author is an author whose name is unknown or has not been revealed.