nom de plume

noun

ˌnäm-di-ˈplüm 

plural noms de plume ˌnäm(z)-di-ˈplüm 

: a name that a writer uses instead of his or her real name : pseudonym, pen name

Under her nom de plume, [Stacey] Abrams, 44, has published eight romantic thrillers …

—Dartunorro Clark

A woman's name on a book practically guarantees marginalization—which is why so many geniuses, from the Brontë sisters to George Sand and George Eliot, chose to use male noms de plume.

—Erica Jong

Examples of nom de plume in a Sentence

He wrote under a nom de plume.

Recent Examples on the Web

For the latest round, the social media account Roaring Kitty, the nom de plume of investor Keith Gill, has been leading the charge. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 28 May 2024

The illustrator Fei Wang, who goes by the nom de plume Mr. Slowboy, presents a book cataloging his work for heritage brands such as Dunhill, Barbour and Drake’s, as well as illustrations for magazines, and portraits of friends and industry luminaries. —Alexander Freeling, Robb Report, 24 Nov. 2021

If Thompson had been an unconventional candidate for sheriff, Oscar Acosta, with the nom de plume ‘the Brown Buffalo,’ was even more so. —Rory Feehan, SPIN, 9 Nov. 2023

Graffiti artist Cyril Phan, known by the nom de plume Cyril Kongo, or just his street name, Kongo, has become an international star, famed for combining vivid colors, lettering and subjects ranging from fireworks to flowers in exuberant paintings and murals. —Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 6 Dec. 2022

Word History

Etymology

French, pen name; probably coined in English

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

nom de plume

noun

ˌnäm-di-ˈplüm 

plural noms de plume ˌnäm(z)-di- 

: pen name

Etymology

a phrase believed to have been made up in English as a French translation of pen name; from French nom "name" and de "of" and plume "(the) pen"