definitions

anonymous

[ uh-non-uh-muh s ]
/ əˈnɒn ə məs /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR anonymous ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

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RELATED WORDS

unidentified, unnamed, undisclosed, nameless, unsigned, incognito, pseudo, pseudonymous, secret, unspecified, X, innominate, unacknowledged, unattested, unavowed, unclaimed, uncredited, undesignated, whatchamacallit

Nearby words

anon., anonychia, anonym, anonymity, anonymize, anonymous, anonymously, anopheles, anophthalmia, anopia, anopisthograph

Origin of anonymous

1595–1605; < Latin anōnymus < Greek anṓnymos, equivalent to an- an-1 + -ōnym(a) (variant of ónyma) -onym (earlier (a)n- with vowel lengthening; cf. anopheles) + -os adj. suffix; see -ous

Related forms

a·non·y·mous·ness, nouna·non·y·mous·ly, adverbnon·a·non·y·mous·ness, noun

Can be confused

anomalous anonymous euonymus unanimousanonymous pseudonymous
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for anonymous

British Dictionary definitions for anonymous

anonymous

/ (əˈnɒnɪməs) /

adjective

from or by a person, author, etc, whose name is unknown or withheldan anonymous letter
having no known name
lacking individual characteristics; unexceptional
(often capital) denoting an organization which provides help to applicants who remain anonymousAlcoholics Anonymous

Derived Forms

anonymity (ˌænəˈnɪmɪtɪ), nounanonymously, adverbanonymousness, noun

Word Origin for anonymous

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