Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of anonymity
First recorded in 1810–20; anonym(ous) + -ity, or from French anonymité
Explanation
If you want a little bit of invisibility, you might seek anonymity, or being anonymous and nameless. He was a very wealthy man, and he gave most of his money away with quiet anonymity, so no one knew who was helping. The noun anonymity comes from a Greek word meaning "without a name." If you have anonymity, you have namelessness, and people will not know who you are. Some words that are the opposite of anonymity are "celebrity" and "fame." Sometimes people request anonymity, as in "he phoned the police to report the break-in across the street but requested anonymity so the burglars wouldn't know who turned them in."
Vocabulary lists containing anonymity
"I Stand Here Ironing" by Tillie Olsen
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Allegiant
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Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"They wanted to retrieve the body of a Catholic shepherd who had died of Ebola," the official said on condition of anonymity.
From Barron's • May 25, 2026
I know that being a candidate has rescued you from anonymity after your career in reality TV went off a cliff.
From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026
Parents of some of the children injured in the Southport knife attack say they believe they've been given insufficient support because of the anonymity given to them by the courts.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
He is now making similar predictions for Banksy, and he doesn’t think having his anonymity stripped away will make any difference.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
And now the only thing that kept her safe was her mobility, her anonymity.
From "The Reader" by Traci Chee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
