Synonyms of pseudonym
: a fictitious name
especially : pen name

Did you know?

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
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.
The women, suing collectively under the pseudonym Jane Doe, accused Bank of America of ignoring suspicious transactions by Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial. Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026 Cutter is the pseudonym for USA Today bestseller Craig Davidson, whose novel won the James Herbert Award for Horror Writing. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026 Two are being identified with pseudonyms out of concern for the safety of relatives in Afghanistan. Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 15 Aug. 2026 Tusk said at the time that the killing of Robert Kuzovkov, known by the pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky, had the hallmarks of a political assassination. Claudia Ciobanu, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Pseudonym.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pseudonym. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

pseudonym

noun
pseud·​onym
ˈsüd-ᵊn-ˌim
: a fictitious name
especially : pen name
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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