Note 131 – The words ‘onym’ and ‘onymous’

Onym means ‘word’ or ‘name’ and comes from the Greek word onumon (as cited in the Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus).  There are also many words formed from using ‘-onym’ as a suffix.  Words with this ending, refer to special kinds of words or names e.g. antonym and synonym (also see note 69: http://wp.me/p1x6Ui-ci).  Other examples are acronym, pseudonym, homonym and eponym.

For a much more comprehensive list of words ending in -onym (including their meanings) please click on the link below – I was shocked that there were so many: http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/gswithenbank/onyms.htm.

According to Richard C Lamb in his book The Queen’s English, the word onymous means “bearing the author’s name” and is also the antonym (opposite) of anonymous.  The word can be used in relation to people, books, letters etc.

Example:  an onymous letter in the paper

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Until tomorrow…

Sandra

My writing challenge: http://wp.me/p1x6Ui-4

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Reference list:

Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus

http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/gswithenbank/onyms.htm

Bernard C. Lamb The Queen’s English (2010), UK