Anonymous
/əˈnɒn.ɪ.məs/noun
Not identified by name; having no known or stated author, source, or identity.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek and has been used for centuries to describe works, people, and voices that deliberately erase identity—long before the internet made anonymity feel modern.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
anṓnymos (ἀνώνυμος)
“nameless; without a name”
Late Latin
Latin
anonymus
“nameless, anonymous”
Middle French
French
anonyme
“anonymous; without attribution”
16th Century
English
anonymous
“nameless; of unknown authorship”
Modern English
English
anonymous
“not identified by name; of undisclosed identity”