different between anonymity vs anonymous

English

Etymology

anonym +? -ity, the root from French anonyme and ultimately from Ancient Greek ???????? (an?numos).

Pronunciation

• (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /æn??n?m?ti/

Noun

anonymity (countable and uncountable, plural anonymities)

1. (uncountable) The quality or state of being anonymous; anonymousness. [from 19th c.]
   • 1976, Joni Mitchell, "Song for Sharon":

     Now there are twenty-nine skaters on Wollman Rink

     Circling in singles and in pairs

     In this vigorous anonymity
2. (countable) That which is anonymous.

Related terms

Translations

References

• James A. H. Murray [et al.], editors (1884–1928) , “Anonymity”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volume I (A–B), London: Clarendon Press, OCLC 15566697, page 347, column 3.
• anonymity in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

English

Etymology

Borrowed into English around 1600 from Late Latin anonymus, from Ancient Greek ????????? (an?numos, “without name”), from ???- (an-, “un-”) with ????? (ónuma), Aeolic and Doric dialectal form of ????? (ónoma, “name”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??n?n?m?s/
• Rhymes: -?n?m?s

Adjective

anonymous (comparative more anonymous, superlative most anonymous)

1. (not comparable) Lacking a name; not named, for example an animal not assigned to any species.

   Synonym: nameless

2. (not comparable) Without any name acknowledged of a person responsible

3. (not comparable) Of unknown name; whose name is withheld

   Synonyms: unidentified, unknown, unnamed

4. (comparable, figuratively) Lacking individuality.

   Synonym: faceless

Synonyms

• (without consideration of prestige or background): on the merits

Antonyms

• onymous

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

• anonymous on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• John Doe
• unknown

References

• anonymous in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• anonymous in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.