Definition of PSEUDONYM

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Pseudonym, has its origins in the Greek word pseudōnymos, which means "bearing a false name." Greek speakers formed their word by combining pseud-, meaning "false," and onyma, meaning "name." French speakers adopted the Greek word as pseudonyme, and English speakers later modified the French word into pseudonym. Many celebrated authors have used pseudonyms. Samuel Clemens wrote under the pseudonym "Mark Twain," Charles Lutwidge Dodgson assumed the pseudonym "Lewis Carroll," and Mary Ann Evans used "George Eliot" as her pseudonym.

Examples of pseudonym in a Sentence

Mark Twain is the pseudonym of the American writer Samuel L. Clemens. the most notorious serial killer of the 19th century remains known only by the pseudonym of Jack the Ripper

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, the syndicate hired a young artist named Olivia Jaimes (a pseudonym) and gave her the freedom not just to update Nancy for 2018 but to figure out what Bushmiller’s playful style might look like if pulled forward into the present. — Todd Vanderwerff, Vox, "Nancy, a 1930s comic strip, was the funniest thing I read in 2018," 26 Dec. 2018 Edythe Wayne is widely acknowledged to have been a pseudonym the three used, and Mr. Dozier has cast doubt on Mr. Dunbar’s involvement with the songs. — Daniel E. Slotnik, New York Times, "Ronald Dunbar, 78, Producer and Grammy-Winning Songwriter, Dies," 17 Apr. 2018 Alison’s been releasing music under this pseudonym since 2013 and has built a reputation for a blasting blend of heavy trap and future bass. — Dani Deahl, The Verge, "What’s In Your Bag, Alison Wonderland?," 24 Aug. 2018 In the summer of 2014, a few months after their honeymoon, Arthur wrote a pair of white papers, under the pseudonym LM Goodman, and posted them on the cryptography listserv famous for Bitcoin’s quiet debut. — Gideon Lewis-kraus, WIRED, "The Blockchain: A Love Story—And a Horror Story," 18 June 2018 Rowling famously writes the Strike novels under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. — Amy Mackelden, Marie Claire, "The First Sneak Peek at J.K. Rowling's New TV Show Is Here," 13 Aug. 2017 Elena Ferrante is a pseudonym, and the secretive author has never revealed her real name. — Ellen Gamerman, WSJ, "Elena Ferrante’s ‘My Brilliant Friend’ Comes to HBO," 7 Nov. 2018 Who now remembers, for example, his bitchy film reviews for the Soho Weekly News, written under the anagrammatic pseudonym Wardore Edgy? — Vogue, "Need a New Read? Here Are the 4 Books We’re Loving Right Now," 15 Nov. 2018 Bitcoin, unveiled about 10 years ago by a person or people using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, is a digital currency that exists on a computer network that allows users to transact directly with each other, cutting out traditional middlemen. — Paul Vigna, WSJ, "Crypto Pioneer David Chaum Says He’s Built a Better Bitcoin," 19 Sep. 2018

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