cryptonyms

noun

plural of cryptonym
as in pen names

Related Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cryptonyms
  1. first names
  2. family names
  3. noms de guerre
  4. given names
  5. denominations
  6. pseudonyms
  7. maiden names
Noun
  • One of the first names that attracted her interest was that of Lois Tritton, who, at 95, stood out for being the oldest person buried at the cemetery.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026
  • Using their first names over royal titles is another example of how Prince William and Princess Kate have striven to ensure that their children have as normal an upbringing as possible despite their future royal roles.
    — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026
Definition of first names
Noun
  • Commercial viticulture first developed here in the 1970s, led by family names such as Husch, Navarro and Scharffenberger; Husch planted the valley's first Pinot Noir in 1971.
    — Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • The estate has a long, storied history under many family names, but in 1575, the Essenault family rechristened it by contracting their family name to Issan.
    — Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 17 June 2026
Definition of family names
Noun
  • Unlike the neo-Leninist underground, moreover, dissidents had no desire to revive Bolshevik revolutionary traditions, with their ideological discipline, armed conspiracy, and noms de guerre.
    — Benjamin Nathans September 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
Definition of noms de guerre
Noun
  • In this latest phase, many harms that were once difficult to describe have been given names, so that they can be better identified and confronted.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 24 July 2026
  • Many have since been microchipped and given names.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2026
Definition of given names
Noun
  • Religious denominations are not meant to be landlords or property managers.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 July 2026
  • Christianity is so fractured, not just within denominations but within individual congregations, within individual families.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 11 July 2026
Definition of denominations
Noun
  • Before the game of spin the bottle, Andrey and Mark had never met (both men are referred to by pseudonyms to protect their identity).
    — Lesya Lapina & Sergey Hyugge, The Dial, 21 July 2026
  • Ken, Bev and Cat (all three are pseudonyms) were neighbors in the complex who all worked as filmmakers.
    — Oren Peleg, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2026
Definition of pseudonyms
Noun
  • For some families, maiden names or other significant surnames are carried on as first names.
    — Lisa Milbrand, Parents, 1 Apr. 2026
  • In a step that rights activists call an attempt to block a dual-surname system, Takaichi is calling for a law to allow the greater use of maiden names as aliases instead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Feb. 2026
Definition of maiden names
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

cryptonym
cryptonyms
crypts
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cryptonyms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cryptonyms. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of sultry

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All