pseudonym

[sood-n-im]

noun

1. a fictitious name used especially by an author to conceal their identity; pen name.

   Synonyms: nom de plume, alias

pseudonym

/ ˈsjuːdəˌnɪm /

noun

1. a fictitious name adopted, esp by an author

Other Word Forms

• pseudonymity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of pseudonym¹

First recorded in 1840–50; from Greek pseudṓnymon “false name”; pseud-, -onym

Word History and Origins

Origin of pseudonym¹

C19: via French from Greek pseudōnumon

Example Sentences

Another woman, who testified under the pseudonym Jane, said she felt pressured to participate in similar encounters even if she was unwell.

Read more on BBC

The editorial—one in a series published under a pseudonym lending them the authority of China’s top economic policymakers—doubled down on Beijing’s tech-focused industrial policy.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Sun -- a pseudonym AFP is using to protect his identity -- is one of thousands of Chinese people swallowed up by the scam factories.

Read more on Barron's

Julia, who asked to use a pseudonym due to her undocumented status, has seen firsthand the ways that individual actions have been kind to her.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

And so lawyers conducted only basic vetting of the claims — most of which were filed in court with a pseudonym, an unnamed abuser, and a sentence or two about the abuse.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• alias 
• stage name www.thesaurus.com

When To Use

What is a pseudonym?

A pseudonym is a false or fictitious name, especially one used by an author.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 use a pseudonym instead of 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 pseudonyms John Doe, Jane Doe, Richard Roe, and Jane Roe are used in​ when a person’s name is being kept anonymous. Such names can also be called anonyms.Example: A lot of people use pseudonyms when posting controversial opinions online.