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pen name

noun
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Definition of pen name

: an author's pseudonym

Examples of pen name in a Sentence

Samuel L. Clemens is better known by his pen name “Mark Twain.”
Recent Examples on the Web Rupert Allason, a former member of Parliament whose pen name is Nigel West, conducted a forensic analysis of Steele's work, which made stunning allegations about coordination between Trump's camp and Russia. — Daniel Chaitin, Washington Examiner, "Top British spy report: 'Strong possibility' that anti-Trump dossier was completely fabricated," 26 Jan. 2020 Rosie and Ricca are the pen names of the authors of the fan fiction Interstellar Transmissions, and Lex is the online alias of the author of Forms. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Imagining a Better End to The Rise of Skywalker," 4 Jan. 2020 Anderson vividly recalls watching it as a young child and notes that its authentic feel was grounded in the fact it was based on a novel written under a pen name by Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker. — Freep.com, "Michigan's Greatest Movies: Who won, Eddie Murphy, Clint Eastwood or Eminem?," 5 Jan. 2020 Casemate Rupert Allason writes about espionage under the pen name Nigel West. — Nigel West, Time, "MI5 and the FBI Evolved Alongside One Another, But Their Relationship Hasn’t Always Been Constructive," 22 Nov. 2019 The politician has written eight novels under the pen name Selena Montgomery. — Kristen Bellstrom, Fortune, "1 in 4 Corporate Board Members Are Women on This Continent," 27 Nov. 2019 Della Quercia is the pen name of Giacomo Calabria, once a participant in the Obama campaign organization. — Joseph Peschel | For The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, "'MacTrump’ turns Donald Trump’s first two years as president into a Shakespearean satire," 3 Oct. 2019 Childs is the pen name of Minnesotan Gerry Schmitt. — Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, "Literary calendar: Sports journalist Seth Berkman talks with Vadnais Heights Olympian Marissa Brandt," 28 Sep. 2019 But Kiwi Maple Sapphire makes for a heck of a pen name. — Perri Ormont Blumberg, Southern Living, "Baby Girl Names Inspired by Nature Are on the Rise," 15 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pen name.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of pen name

circa 1864, in the meaning defined above

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Time Traveler for pen name

Time Traveler

The first known use of pen name was circa 1864

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Statistics for pen name

Last Updated

10 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Pen name.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pen%20name. Accessed 18 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for pen name

pen name

noun

English Language Learners Definition of pen name

: a name used by a writer instead of the writer's real name

See the full definition for pen name in the English Language Learners Dictionary

pen name

noun

Kids Definition of pen name

: a false name that an author uses on his or her work

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More from Merriam-Webster on pen name

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with pen name

Spanish Central: Translation of pen name

Nglish: Translation of pen name for Spanish Speakers

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