pseudonymous
Americanadjective
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bearing a false or fictitious name.
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writing or written under a fictitious name.
adjective
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having or using a false or assumed name
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writing or having been written under a pseudonym
Usage
What does pseudonymous mean? Pseudonymous means having, using, or written under a pseudonym—a false or fictitious name, especially one used by an author. The word is often used to describe a person who uses a pseudonym, as in the pseudonymous artist, or something attributed to a false name, as in her pseudonymous novels. When an author uses a pseudonym, it can also be called a pen name or a nom de plume. There are many reasons an author may choose to publish pseudonymously instead of under their own name, such as to avoid controversy or to create a persona. Many women authors throughout history have used a male or gender-neutral pseudonym to get their work published due to bias against women writers. A famous example is Mary Ann Evans, who used the pseudonym George Eliot. The word pseudonym can refer to a fake or false name used by anyone, not just writers. It’s typically used so a person can remain anonymous. In legal proceedings, the pseudonymous titles John Doe, Jane Doe, Richard Roe, and Jane Roe are used in cases when a person’s name is being kept anonymous. Such names can also be called anonyms. Example: It’s sometimes hard to tell whether pseudonymous posts are published by bots or real people.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of pseudonymous
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.
He had read the original bitcoin white paper, published in 2008 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, and while working for Airbnb in 2011 had struggled to send money to South America.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026
On its website, it says the project has been founded and developed by "a pseudonymous collective" based across "multiple jurisdictions".
From BBC • Nov. 28, 2025
Some appear to have been relentlessly touted by unofficial and pseudonymous investor groups, according to documents and chat logs reviewed by Barron’s.
From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025
Among the sources it cites for this proposition is—I am not making this up—a handful of pseudonymous responses to a year-old Reddit post.
From Slate • Oct. 1, 2025
Ritson has aptly treated these pseudonymous translators as “men of straw.”
From Amenities of Literature Consisting of Sketches and Characters of English Literature by Disraeli, Isaac
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.
