heteronym
noun
a word spelled the same as another but having a different sound and meaning, as lead (to conduct) and lead (a metal).
heteronyms
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pluralof heteronym.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
These works were penned by Pessoa’s heteronyms, a term he came up with to describe the scores of distinct authorial entities he invented.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026
Hannaham suggests each of us now encompasses such a multitude of heteronyms, to feed algorithms that then feed us, it can make a Pessoa of anyone.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 22, 2021
This was particularly true of a writer like Pessoa, who actively played with various identities, sometimes allowing his heteronyms to correspond and criticize each other.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 23, 2021
His heteronyms were addicted to their obscurity, vain about their privacy and pained when forced to “publish” their work.
From New York Times ● Jul. 13, 2021
In a trunk of more than 25,000 pages of manuscript discovered after he died were writings by nearly 80 people, or "heteronyms", created in Pessoa's lifetime.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 4, 2010
