paronymous

adjective

par·​on·​y·​mous pə-ˈrä-nə-məs How to pronounce paronymous (audio)
pa-
1
2
a
: formed from a word in another language
b
: having a form similar to that of a cognate foreign word

Word History

Etymology

Greek parōnymos, from para- + -ōnymos (as in homōnymos homonymous)

First Known Use

1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of paronymous was in 1656

Dictionary Entries Near paronymous

Cite this Entry

“Paronymous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paronymous. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!