anonymous

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   With a name that is not known or not made public.

   The newspaper received an anonymous letter accusing the mayor.

2. 2
   adj

   Lacking any special or interesting character; dull and ordinary.

   The office was in an anonymous grey building on the edge of town.

Borrowed into English around 1600 from Late Latin anonymus, from Ancient Greek ᾰ̓νώνῠμος (ănṓnŭmos, “without name”), from ᾰ̓ν- (ăn-, “un-”) with ὄνῠμᾰ (ónŭmă), Aeolic and Doric dialectal form of ὄνομᾰ (ónomă, “name”). English equivalent anonym + -ous, its full etymology being an- + -onym + -ous.

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