pseudonym

noun

pseu·​do·​nym ˈsü-də-ˌnim How to pronounce pseudonym (audio)
Synonyms of pseudonymnext
: a fictitious name
especially : pen name

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Pseudonym has its origins in the Greek adjective pseudōnymos, which means “bearing a false name.” French speakers adopted the Greek word as the noun 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.

Synonyms of 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
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Volkan Yilmaz, a leather specialist operating under the online pseudonym Tanner Leatherstein, shares a similar view. Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 29 Dec. 2025 Styles also made headlines earlier this year when he was photographed running the 2025 Berlin Marathon under the pseudonym Sted Sarandos (a play on the name of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos). Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025 All the women who spoke to Fortune about their relationships with chatbots for this story asked to be identified under pseudonyms out of concern that admitting to a relationship with an AI model carries a social stigma that could have negative repercussions for their livelihoods. Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 26 Dec. 2025 Coverly is the pseudonym for collaborators Dana Schwartz and Dan Frey, who will adapt their own work. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pseudonym

Word History

Etymology

French pseudonyme, from Greek pseudōnymos bearing a false name, from pseud- + onyma name — more at name

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pseudonym was in 1817

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Cite this Entry

“Pseudonym.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pseudonym. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

pseudonym

noun
pseud·​onym
ˈsüd-ᵊn-ˌim
: a fictitious name
especially : pen name

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