anonymous

[ uh-non-uh-muhs ]
See synonyms for: anonymousanonymousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. without any name acknowledged, as that of author, contributor, or the like: an anonymous letter to the editor; an anonymous donation.

  2. of unknown name; whose name is withheld: an anonymous author.

  1. lacking individuality, unique character, or distinction: an endless row of drab, anonymous houses.

Origin of anonymous

1
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; cf. anopheles) + -os adjective suffix; see -ous

Other words from anonymous

  • a·non·y·mous·ness, noun
  • a·non·y·mous·ly, adverb
  • non·a·non·y·mous·ness, noun

Words that may be confused with anonymous

Words Nearby anonymous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use anonymous in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for anonymous

anonymous

/ (əˈnɒnɪməs) /


adjective
  1. from or by a person, author, etc, whose name is unknown or withheld: an anonymous letter

  2. having no known name

  1. lacking individual characteristics; unexceptional

  2. (often capital) denoting an organization which provides help to applicants who remain anonymous: Alcoholics Anonymous

Origin of anonymous

1
C17: via Late Latin from Greek anōnumos, from an- + onoma name

Derived forms of anonymous

  • anonymity (ˌænəˈnɪmɪtɪ), noun
  • anonymously, adverb
  • anonymousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012