anonymity

American  

[an-uh-nim-i-tee] / ˌæn əˈnɪm ɪ ti /

noun

anonymities plural

1. the state or quality of being anonymous.

2. an anonymous person.

   some fine poetry attributed to anonymities.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonanonymity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• anonymities
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

The roughly 2,800-square-foot unit is located at 160 Leroy Street, which draws buyers looking for anonymity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the memorandum of understanding was "entirely performance-based", warning that Tehran would see benefits only if it showed "good behaviour".

From Barron's • Jul. 8, 2026

A high-ranking Los Angeles law enforcement official, who requested anonymity to discuss an active case, said Yepez had already been identified as a “suspect” in the murder conspiracy investigation at the time.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026

They were a way of asking whether hospitality could survive anonymity — or whether the quality of a restaurant changed the moment power entered the dining room.

From Salon • Jul. 5, 2026

Johns has used the same plaster cast four times, which lends the faces a curious anonymity.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson