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Backronym Concern

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Hi, Violetriga, re backronym, you're saying that backronym was an acronym "that was not originally so intended". Have you any substantiation for that, in every case? Even if it was so in one particular case, can you really say that it was so in every backronym example? If it was so in the case of Fiat, you need to tell us how so. Sorry, Dieter Simon 18:08, 11 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Hey. I took the meaning from the main Backronym article which makes the two things sound different. As was (and now is again) written it makes me think that a backronym is an acronym that forms another word, such as BASIC, DWARF or LISP. The way the primary article infers is that it's a new meaning of any acronym, whether it spells a word or not, like Lufthansa or Fiat. I believe the latter to be correct - perhaps there's another word for the former? Not that I'm an expert on such things! violet/riga 18:14, 11 Aug 2004 (UTC)
Looking into this a bit further, Violetriga, yes, I realize that you took it from the main article but the version of the "backronym" article seems to have been taken from The New Hacker's Dictionary. While the "H. D." seems to be in the public domain and therefore is ok to be used from the copyright point of view - though I am not really sure about that - why requote yet again an article which appears in at least twenty websites I had dug out on Yahoo Search alone. I think we might be a bit more original an create our own versions, don't you think? I know you meant well but I think it is better this way. Dieter Simon 22:40, 13 Aug 2004 (UTC)
That doesn't seem to answer my question. The way I take the word is different, it seems, to the way you take it. Yes, we probably could do better than the current backronym article but as I see it the meaning listed here is different to the meaning on that page and I don't think that's right. violet/riga 23:20, 13 Aug 2004 (UTC)
Hi again, violet, my objection to the main article (“Backronym”), and therefore its being repeated under the –onym article, is mainly this:
The first para of “backronym” was taken over from here almost word for word. We should never verbatim copy a definition from another source without citing that source and obviously first obtaining their permission to do so. That is the whole point of copyright law. Now, it is possible that “The Hacker’s Dictionary” (Jargon File) is entirely published in the public domain, but I somehow doubt it, especially when you read the intentions (that word again) of the editor and his small number of co-editors who only after strict perusal allow passage of the submissions made by members of the mailing list. That is what ultimately appears in the “Dictionary”. The “intentions” of the editor may be seen here.

::::My second objection is the use of the phrase “interpreted as an acronym that was not originally so intended”. Ah, “intended”?
::::Take, for example, the acronym(s) “BASIC”. There are two backronyms called BASIC, which was certainly never brought out in the Backronym article.

::::The first one is the one as in “BASIC (English)”, an acronym for British, American, Scientific, Ineternational, Commercial, which was a reduced form of English developed in the 1920s by the writer and linguist C.K. Ogden. And what a nice resounding acronym it is.
::::The second is of course, our old friend, the computer language “Basic”, the acronym for “Beginner’s All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code”, that also refers back to the word “basic”. So, one has the connotation of “reduced” and the other that of “beginner’s code”.

::::As for the quotation from the Hacker’s Dictionary, the examples shown derive from what hackers with a sense of humour submitted and which was passed tongue-in-cheek by the editor(s) which of course is highly entertaining and amusing. So the intention once again is clear; it is entirely that of being jocular and certainly retrospective as far as the backronym is concerned . Both the intentions are clear, only the originator’s intention has been subverted by the hackers’ intentions.

::::However (you knew there was going to be a however, didn’t you), it is very POV for an encyclopedia, such as Wikipedia which in all its efforts claims to be neutral with an NPOV intent, for ultimately we can’t have a jokester’s or even hacker’s attitudes protruding into our serious work, can we? So it’s for this reason. I altered the definition in the “–onym” article and think that the “Backronym” article should be changed. Sorry, you wanted to know. (;-) Dieter Simon 14:06, 14 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Actually, I am eating very humble pie, the more I am looking at this. What matters most is the fact that a backronym seems to refer to an ordinary noun that was not originally an acronym at all but was later changed amusingly or ironically into an imaginary one. Extremely sorry about this.Dieter Simon 15:33, 14 Aug 2004 (UTC)
No need to be sorry! Nice to see proper research into articles. Regards, violet/riga 18:47, 14 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Doesn't this belong at -nym?

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I think the article title should be -nym rather than -onym, because the root word is "nym", meaning "name". It just happens that many of the prefixes end with the letter "o", but the "o" is part of the prefix, not part of "nym". I don't see any harm in moving the article, but can't do it because a redirect is already in the way. - furrykef (Talk at me) 16:54, 28 Nov 2004 (UTC)

  • The suffixes list seems pretty inconsistent, e.g. why -cracy but -ography? I agree -nym seems like the best place for this. Kappa 17:00, 28 Nov 2004 (UTC)
    • To be pedantic, "nym" is more of a root word than a suffix, just one that almost always happens to be at the end of whatever word it appears in. That would suggest "Nym" without the hyphen, but then it still isn't a standalone word. By the way, I found that www.m-w.com has it as "-onym" as well, although I don't necessarily see that as justification for keeping the page here. - furrykef (Talk at me) 03:08, 29 Nov 2004 (UTC)
      • I have looked at three dictionaries, and all three give it as -onym: the Oxford Concise Dictionary of Lingustics, the Longman Dictionary of the English Language, and the Collins English Dictionary. Those are the only dictionaries I could lay my hand on for the moment, but I am sure other dictionaries would probably agree. Dieter Simon 23:57, 30 Nov 2004 (UTC)
    • Hmm, puzzling. I don't really look at it as a suffix "-onym", but rather a root word "nym" that requires a prefix, which often happens to end with "o". The only prominent example where "onym" is used with a prefix that doesn't normally end with "o" is "antonym"; one would expect "antinym". There are, however, some "-nym" words that do not end with "onym", for example, "hypernym" (though "hyperonym" is a variant). - furrykef (Talk at me) 19:35, 1 Dec 2004 (UTC)
      • The one thing we should consider, however, is that the "o" is not just a connective vowel as in, for example, "music(o)logy" but part of the original word in Greek for the word name = onuma, later onyma and onymon. So -onym derives really from the full Greek noun. Dieter Simon 00:49, 2 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Hominids, Canines, and Dryads?

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I get that "Christian" and "Hurculean" are eponyms, "Iraqi" and "American" are demonyms, but what would words that signify relationships, like "hominid", "canine", and "dryad", be? Taxonyms? Specinyms? Is there a specific word for these? And is there a broader term that would include eponyms, demonyms, and other words ending in -ite, -id, -oid, -ine etc. (such as the aforementioned "dryad", "canine", and "hominid"), but exclude -onyms that do not signify a relationship? --Corvun 10:10, July 23, 2005 (UTC)

Yes, they are indeed "taxonyms". See [1] Constructing taxonomies. Dieter Simon 01:05, 24 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]
Should "taxonym" be added to the page then? --Corvun 04:44, July 24, 2005 (UTC)
I don't know, we like to call those "patronyms" in Classics. Tsunomaru 02:49, 15 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]

A person named for their characteristics

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Can someone tell me what the literary term is for "of the Gleaming Sword" in the following sentence?

"The Knight of the Gleaming Sword".

Another example would be, "the Dragon Slayer" in "George the Dragon Slayer"

I think that it is something-onym but I cannot find it in the list.

Thanks!

Actually, the word you're looking for is "epithet." No "-onym" in it. --Nebulawindphone 14:57, 23 December 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Opposonym?

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opposonym: a word or phrase that appears to be the opposite of another word or phrase but actually has the same or a similar meaning, such as flammable and inflammable or fat chance and slim chance.

[2]

Not sure the term is notable enough to be worth listing ... but the concept probably is.... -- Smjg 11:37, 16 December 2005 (UTC)[reply]

Doesn't agree with conventions of English borrowing from Latin. The Latin root of any English "-pone" or "-posit" word is pono, ponere, posui, positus. English likes to take the imperfective stem ("pon-") and the passive perfective stem ("posit-") to build its own words; using only part of a stem is a faux pas. Any English word built from "oppono" would have to include an unbroken "oppon-" or "opposit-". Now, I don't know nearly as much about Greek etymologies as Latin etymologies, but I suppose something like "antithetonym" would work. Tsunomaru 02:57, 15 November 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Oronym?

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A word or string of words which is homophonic with another word or string of words. Examples include: Mint Spy and Mince Pie, Ice Cream and I Scream, Stuffy Nose and Stuff He Knows. See oronym.

May not be notable enough to be in the main body of the document, however it is worth adding somewhere.

The word oronym has a much older (and more traditional) meaning: a name of a mountain (from the Greek oros, mountain + -onym). I will add this word to the list. PlaysInPeoria 22:36, 31 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Sources

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It occurs to me that the list of -onym words would benefit from a bibliography of sources consulted, which would help to distinguish neologisms of the past 30 years from older words. PlaysInPeoria 22:54, 31 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I decided to "be bold": I significantly expanded the article, which now includes a comprehensive (though certainly not complete) list of -onym words, with references (and cross-references), and a bibliography of "Sources Consulted." PlaysInPeoria 04:02, 16 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

What's the Point?

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A new major expansion of the article on 16 January 2006 was deleted and replaced with a less comprehensive and not particularly accurate version. Unfortunately, the purported explanation was less than enlightening.

This action, which occurred shortly after the expanded article was posted, appears whimsical (if not frivolous) and designed to circumvent a free exchange of ideas on the changes, which seems contrary to the purpose of Wikipedia.

A puzzelment: Why was the section on "References / Further Reading" removed? What objection is there to the identification of significant works on the subject matter of the article?

It seems, based on evidence throughout Wikipedia, that one (apparently significant) purpose of articles on particular types of words is to provide extensive lists of such words, many with definitions. For example, nearly the entire article, "-cide," is a list of words ending in -cide, with definitions — also known as a dictionary.

In the case of words ending in -onym, a suffix for which new words are created quite randomly and without regard to existing words, a comprehensive list of such words, with meanings and cross-references, is not only important, but required.

Wikipedia might not be intended to be a dictionary, but, as the saying goes, if it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck.... I believe that the mere fact of a list of words (with or without definitions, etc.) is far less important the the purpose of such a list.

An acceptable purpose (according to Wikipedia's own regulations) for a dictionary-like list of words is when that information supports the subject matter of the article. The deleted version of the article fulfills that purpose.

Perhaps the format of the expanded version was at issue. Perhaps the light-hearted approach to certain sections of the article was deemed offensive. Format is easily corrected; elimination of pertinent content is problematic.

In short, the expanded version of the article should be restored and subject to free and open discussion (and revision), in the spirit of Wikipedia, as may be needed.

207.63.134.34 00:52, 17 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Word Lists

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My explorations of Wiktionary and Wikipedia led me to conclude that the latter is a more appropriate source for substantive information on particular word forms. There are a goodly number of articles in Wikipedia that include extensive lists of words, many of which include definitions, as well. A surprising number of articles in Wikipedia are nothing more than lists of words.

In the case of words ending in -onym, there is an abundance of different words with similar meanings or individual words with contradictory meanings. The persons who coined many of the newer words can be identified. This kind of information was included in my now-reverted revision of the -onym article.

A Wikipedia article is the only truly logical place to identify and explore the causes of such occurrences and provide sufficient information (via definitions and cross-references) to define and evaluate the situation and hopefully sort out the confusion.

Frankly, a comprehensive and annotated list of words is required for a complete understanding of the -onym phenomenon, and this kind of article belongs in an encyclopedia rather than a dictionary.

PlaysInPeoria 05:21, 18 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]


Hyperonym missing ?

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Hyperonym seems to be missing on this page --toka, 28 May 2007

WP is not a dictionary

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Article was blanked due to WP:DICDEF, but I think that's misapplied in this case. This is largely a Wikipedia:Lists and facilitates navigation of -onym words, for which there is no category or other navigational tool that I'm aware of at present. Шизомби (talk) 03:39, 7 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]

See Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Linguistics#Prithee for background. -- Quiddity (talk) 04:34, 7 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Aha. Thank you. Шизомби (talk) 12:48, 7 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Yes, of course, the list is important to the article. A list of examples of -onyms is needed to illustrate the various points made in the introduction and the sections following it. After all Lists does say: "Lists are commonly used in Wikipedia to organize information", and without this list readers would be left to their own divices as what is exactly is meant. So, the guidelines agree why we should have the list.
There is, however, one point I should like to make: why not reorganize the list somewhat on the lines of those suggested by the 1988 Scheetz study, into several classes as described in the section referring to it. I don't know whether the editor who created this section still can lay their hands on the publication, but I think it would give further substantiation to the list. Whatever happens, we should keep it. Dieter Simon (talk) 00:48, 8 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I am copying this into Wikipedia: Articles for deletion/-onym. Dieter Simon (talk) 00:56, 8 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]

The list has been deleted twice now by Wolfkeeper; it's true the AfD outcome does not prohibit changing the article. However, it does not authorize the article to be owned or for consensus to be ignored. How do we go about establishing consensus? If only a handful of people are involved in editing an article, that term always feels a bit forced when there's 11,203,649 named user accounts and who knows how many IPs. Шизомби (talk) 23:07, 14 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I haven't deleted it, I've added it to the category that includes the list of words ending in 'ing'.- Wolfkeeper 23:11, 14 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I'm seeing a deletion of the list, as I said[3] but not an addition of a category. Do you mean you are in the process of adding a [Category:-onym words] or something like to all such words? Шизомби (talk) 23:39, 14 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I'll reiterate what I suggested at AfD: there should be a small list of items illustrating different types of words ending in -onym. The lead section names these as Historic/Classic, Scientific, Language Games, and Nonce Words. I would recommend antonym, homonym, and pseudonym as Classic types (but I haven't read Sheetz, and don't know if this fits the taxonomy suggested there). For Scientific types, maybe hypernym, hyponym, demonym, and/or exonym (though I think antonym and homonym might fit here, too). I don't understand the difference between the latter two categories; words such as anacronym, backronym and retronym are rather like nonce words, and they're also playful (at least, I've never run into them outside of an implicit joking frame). Cnilep (talk) 21:25, 17 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I'm still inclined to believe that as long as there are multiple encyclopedia article on -onym words that it makes sense to have a page facilitating navigation between them, and -onym seems as logical a place as any. Whether it be an Index page, or List, or Glossary, or disambig: whatever. It seems, however, that I may have to develop the argument for that position further in order to sway anyone. Additionally, I remain unclear by what was meant by "I haven't deleted it, I've added it to the category that includes the list of words ending in 'ing'." above. Шизомби (talk) 21:34, 17 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
@ Шизомби: Wolfkeeper is talking of the category of things not included in Wikipedia. --ἀνυπόδητος (talk) 07:33, 18 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I was trying to AGF and now you spoiled it. :-} Шизомби (talk) 15:48, 18 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Since navigation pages are not considered encyclopedic article topics you've just admitted that this is not an encyclopedic topic.- Wolfkeeper 01:10, 18 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
No. Please stop. Шизомби (talk) 01:27, 18 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
I have only searched for retronym so far, but it doesn't look to difficult to substantiate it and shouldn't be much of a problem concerning Cnilep's query as to the others words. See [4]
As for Wolfkeeper's reply, it all depends what you mean by "navigation pages". Many things can be navigation pages. The problem really is whether a list properly cross-referenced reflects the type of class each word refers to, but since we don't know exactly into which classes Scheetz separates each word, we are a bit stumped as to do this properly. Given Scheetz' "taxonomy" it would make perfect sense to raise the mere list to a proper list subdivided into its classes, and we would have a source into the bargain which would be right to be there. That also reflects the citation in Wikipedia:Lists under "Defintion Lists" and various others or the citation "Lists are commonly used in Wikipedia to organize information". Dieter Simon (talk) 02:09, 18 December 2009 (UTC) Dieter Simon (talk)[reply]

show/hide

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Putting the list of -onyms together is better, although my reading of Wikipedia:Accessibility#Scrolling_and_collapsible_sections is that show/hide should not be used in article space as this is presently, but rather only in navboxes and infoboxes. The list strikes me as too long to employ either of those options. Шизомби (talk) 00:14, 8 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I agree with you, if a list is worthwhile in a Wikipedia article it should be shown without readers having to hunt around to find it. As to my reasons why we should keep the list, see the previous section when I have written it. Dieter Simon (talk) 00:28, 8 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]
Agreed. I've removed the hiding functionality. -- Quiddity (talk) 04:22, 8 December 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Folksynonym

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The problem with "synonym" is that precise synonymy is not as common as words that are simply, but imprecisely, considered interchangable. For instance, it is common to use a brand name to stand in for an entire category of product; this is imprecise usage, but widely understood. Is there any word like "folksynonym" for this type of word - almost, but not quite, a synonym? (I'm not proposing, I'm asking...) 187.143.12.189 (talk) 15:35, 3 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

A Descriptive and Prescriptive Onymicon

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Here is a reference guide to words ending in -onym that is more complete than the list in the article. In addition to identifying such words and defining them, this expanded reference guide includes sources keyed to each entry. I believe that, without sources that can be consulted by any reader, a list does not belong in Wikipedia.

I added this guide to the Talk page (rather than the article) in order to encourage discussion prior to editing the article. (Some of the introductory matter appears in the article; I included this information here for ease of reference.)

Article "reference guide" proposal

Classes of -Onym Words

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It is not enough merely to name things — we must classify and name the types of names. This onymicon (i.e., lexicon of onyms; a back-formation from synonymicon) serves two purposes. It is, fundamentally, a dictionary of words with the suffix -onym, but it is also an attempt to clarify existing terminology.

There are four discernible classes of -onym words: (1) historic, classic, or, for want of better terms, naturally occurring or common words; (2) scientific terminology, particularly occurring in linguistics, onomastics, etc.; (3) language games; and (4) nonce words.

Older terms are known to gain new, sometimes contradictory, meanings (e.g., eponym and cryptonym). In many cases, two or more words describe the same phenomenon, but no precedence is discernable (e.g., necronym and penthonym). New words are sometimes created, unnecessarily, the meaning of which duplicate existing terms. Occasionally, new words are formed with little regard to historical principles. This dictionary attempts to identify all such occurrences. If appropriate, alternative word forms are suggested; cross-references are used extensively.

A Consideration of Historical Principles

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Originally, all words in -onym were formed from Greek root words. Now, however, Latin root words are not unknown, but comprise a very small portion of the main entries herein; the earliest Latin example dates only from 1870. Historically, then, Greek root words are preferred over Latin. A number of main entries derive from other languages, such as English and French, and are all modern (later 20th century, early 21st century) constructions; in almost every instance, there is a preferred Greek or Latin counterpart. A small number of these modern constructions are plays on words or nonce words.

The proper form of the suffix is -onym, though there are two legitimate examples where the "o" was replaced by "a" to avoid confusion with similarly spelled terms (ananym and metanym). Further, the "o" should never be replaced by a consonant. There is inevitably an appropriate root word which could have been employed in such constructions (e.g., zoonym instead of faunanym; charactonym instead of characternym).

The Onymicon: A Lexicon of -Onym Words

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Key: References, in brackets, correspond to the bibliography, “Sources Consulted.” Quotation marks around a main entry denote a word form that is not preferred. cf. = compare. ed. = edition. e.g. = for example. ff. = following. i.e. = that is. q.v., qq.v. = which see.

  • achthronym — a term of opprobrium, or an opprobrious name. Cf. ecthronym. [Mencken:367]
  • acronym — 1. a: a word formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term (as radar). [OED/S:1:17 (1943 "orig. U.S."), W3] b: a word composed of the initial letters or parts of a compound term, and usually read or spoken as a single word, rather than letter by letter, such as NATO: distinct from an initialism and an abbreviation. [AIAD:11,15] 2: an acrostic. [RH2] 3: v.t. to make an acronym of. [RH2]
  • affectionym — an affectionate name (e.g., "[Babe] Ruth called everyone Jidge, a sort of affectionym for George, which was Ruth's real first name."): a nonce word. [Blount]
  • allonym: 1: a name that is assumed by an author but that actually belongs to another person. [W2, W3] the name of a person, usually a historical person, assumed by a writer. [AHD] 2: a work published under the name of a person other than the auther. [W3]
  • anacronym — an acronym that is so well established that its origin as an abbreviation is no longer widely known (a portmanteau of anachronism + acronym), for example scuba and laser. [...]
  • ananym — a pseudonym consisting of the real name written backwards (as Elberp for Preble). [OED:1:307 (1867), W2, W3]
    • From the Greek preposition ανα [ana], “on,” as a prefix denoting “backward,” which properly gives anonym, q.v. (pre-occupied by another meaning).
  • anatomonym — a noun describing a part or constituent of the body that can also be used as a verb: a language game. [Kadison]
  • andronym — 1: among Indian Jews, a husband's name taken by his wife (from andronymy). Cf. maritonym. [Weil] 2: a name that is generally for a male (i.e. John, Daniel, Michael). Cf. gynonym [...]
  • aneconym — a place name not of a human settlement (modern form of anoikonym, q.v.). Contrast econym. [†]
  • anoikonym — an aneconym, q.v. [Zgusta/2:111]
  • anepronym — a portmanteau of anacronym and eponym, a word that becomes so well established that it is used to define other objects that share its own definition (e.g., aspirin) [...]
  • anonym — 1. a: one that is of unknown name. b: a publication of unknown authorship. 2: an idea that has no exact term to express it. 3: a pseudonym, q.v. [W2, W3] — See also ananym.
  • antagonym — Cf. contronym — coined by Charles N. Ellis. [Ellis]
  • anthonym — a flower's name. Cf. floronym and phytonym. [†]
  • anthropo-cryptonym — a personal name used as a code name (from anthropo-cryptonymic). Cf. cryptonym (sense 2). [Diament/2:39]
  • anthroponym — a personal name. [W3, Zaręba, Zgusta/3:728,731 (as "anthroponymy")]
  • anthropo-toponym (or anthropotoponym) — a place name derived from a personal name. [Burnand (as "anthropotoponymes"), Moreira (as "anthropo-toponymie")]
  • antonym a word opposite in meaning to another. Contrast synonym. [W2, W3]
  • apronym — a word, which as an acronym or backronym, has a meaning related to the meaning of the words constituting the acronym or backronym. [...]
  • aptonym — presumably, an apt, or suitable name (e.g., James MacDougall is the editor of a journal named Phoebe: The Newsletter of Humor. He explains why Phoebe is the name: "Outermost of the moons of Saturn is the tiny satellite called Phoebe. This small heavenly body would not be regarded as significant but for one thing — it rotates and revolves in retrograde. In other words, it spins the wrong way. It is to this ideal that this letter is dedicated."): a language game. Cf. aptronym, charactonym. [Nilsen]
  • aptronym — a name that sounds like its owner's occupation (as Messrs. Hunt and Chase, procurers of zoo animals): a language game — coined by Franklin P. Adams. Cf. aptonym, charactonym. [Byrne:25, Holden]
  • aristonym — a name derived from a high rank or a title of nobility [...]
  • astyonym — a name of a city. [Bieleckij:190]
  • autantonym — word having two opposite meanings (as a fast horse, and a fast color). Cf. contronym, heteronym (sense 1), and homonym (sense 1b). [Eiss:39, Shipley:74]
  • automatonym — literally, "automated name"; a name created by computerized direct mail mistakes (e.g., "Dear Mr. The") (preferred form of "automonym," q.v.): a language game. [†]
  • "automonym" — an automatonym, q.v. — coined by Paul Dickson. [Dickson/1:92-95]
  • autonym — 1: literally, one's own name (contrast pseudonym); hence, a book or work published under the real author's name. 2: the name given to itself by a tribe or people, as distinguished from a name given by foreign tribes (contrast ecthronym). [W2, W3]
  • avionym — a bird's name. Cf. hipponym, ichthyonym, ornithonym, and zoonym. [Ames/2:13]
  • backronym — an ordinary word understood as an amusing or ironic acronym (a portmanteau of back + acronym), such as Fiat understood as "Fix It Again Tomorrow" [...]
  • basionym — the first name published for a biological taxon (species, genus, etc.), which remains the defining name for the taxon even when the taxon has been transferred to a new name
  • "brachnym" — a brachyonym, q.v. [Yassin]
  • brachyonym — a nickname or diminutive, in contrast to a personal name (preferred form of "brachynym," q.v.). [†]
  • caconym — a bad or objectionable name; specifically, Biol. a taxonomic name rejected for linguistic reasons. Cf. chironym. [W2, W3]
  • capitonym — a word which, when capitalized, changes in pronunciation and meaning (as polish and Polish): a language game. [Lederer/2]
  • "characternym" — a charactonym, q.v. [Udosen]
  • charactonym — a name given to a literary character that indicates a quality of the character or the situation the character is in (preferred form of "characternym," q.v.). Cf. aptonym, aptronym. [Berry, Herbst:209, NCNI]
  • chironym — Zool. & Biol. a manuscript name for a species, having no taxonomic validity until published. Cf. caconym. [W2]
  • choronym — a place name: implies an area larger than that of a toponym, q.v. [Zgusta/2:111]
  • chrematonym — a name of a thing (from chrematonymy). [Zgusta/3:729]
  • consonym — a word which has the same consonants as another word, in the same order, ignoring all vowels: a language game — coined circa 1979 by Gary Pisher; specifically a: originally, such a word constructed phonetically (as exam, with consonant pattern /gzm/ = eczema and gizmo). Revised rules by Philip M. Cohen always consider /w/ and /y/ consonants. [Cohen:236-37, Games:24, Scheetz] b: such a word constructed alphabetically (as thence, with consonant pattern "thnc" = ethnic), sometimes distinguished as strict consonym, where "y" is always a consonant, and permissive consonym, where "y" is always a vowel. [Richards, Scheetz, Shortz:113]
  • contronym — a word which can be used in two contradictory senses: a language game. Cf. antagonym, autantonym, heteronym (sense 1), and homonym (sense 1b). See also pseudo-contronym. [Herring, Lederer/1]
  • cryptonym — 1: a private or secret name. [W2, W3] 2. a: a code name: used by the Central Intelligence Agency to designate all officers, hired agents, "assets," and operations in all cable traffic and memoranda. [Miller:217] b: a code name; specifically, that of an espionage agent. [Diament/2:36 ff.] As used in sense 2, something of a misnomer, because the real name, which is presumably not publicly known, is technically the cryptonym (i.e., secret name).
  • demonym — a name, derived from a place name, for residents of that place (e.g., Utahn, from Utah, or Sioux Cityan, from Sioux City) (preferred form of "domunym," "locunym, " and "urbanym," q.v.) — coined by George H. Scheetz. [Dickson/3:xiii-xiv]
  • dendronym — a tree's name (from dendronymic, dendronymous, semi-dendronymous). Cf. phytonym. [Ames/2]
  • deonym — (context implies) a name which alludes to the attributes of its eponym, q.v. (senses 2 and 3) (e.g., Czech fortuna, alluding to luck, or venuše, alluding to beauty) (from deonymisierten). Cf. metonym, theonym. [Pokorná]
  • dionym — a name of two terms; specifically, Nat. Hist., a binomial: Biol., a species name consisting of two terms. [W2]
  • domatonym — 1: a house name (e.g., Tara or The White House) — coined by George H. Scheetz. [Dickson/3:xiv]
  • domonym — 1: a domatonym — coined by George H. Scheetz. [Dickson/3:xiv]
  • "domunym" — a demonym, q.v. — coined by Paul Dickson. [Dickson/2; Dickson/3:xiii]
  • econym — a name of a settlement; a place name referring to a human settlement (modern form of oeconym and oikonym, qq.v.). Cf. toponym. Contrast aneconym. [Belenkaya]
  • ecthronym — a name given to a nation or a tribe or a group by their neighbors or enemies, usually in contempt or derision (contrast autonym, sense 2). Cf. achthronym, ethnonym. [Ericson; FW]
  • eponym — 1. The person, real or mythical, from whom a family, race, city, or nation is supposed to have taken its name (as, Hellen is the eponym of the Hellenes). See also taxonym. [W2] One for whom or which something is named or supposedly named: name-giver: as a: the usually mythical ancestor or totem animal or object that a social group (as a tribe) holds to be the origin of its name. See also taxonym. [W3] b: Assyriology. an Assyrian official whose name was used in a chronology of the period 893-666 B.C. to designate his year of office — also known as limmu. [W2, W3] 2: one whose name is so prominently connected with anything as to be a figurative designation for it. [W2] 3: a name derived from the name of an eponym (influenced in meaning by the Eng. suffix -onym). [EDI, W3]
  • ethnonym — 1. a: a name from the name of a tribe. [Bielenckij:192] b: an ethnic name; a term that is "considered not very appropriate..., for which no satisfactory definition could be found...." [Unesco] 2: a term referring to a person who is a citizen of a country, or descended from a country. [Diament/1] Cf. autonym, achthronym, and ecthronym.
  • euonym — a name well suited to the person, place, or thing named; an appropriate name or term; a good name. [FW, W2, W3]
  • euphonym — a euphonious (i.e., pleasing in sound or smooth-sounding) word having the same meaning as another: perhaps a language game. [W2]
  • evonym — an evonymus: any plant of the genus Evonymus. [†]
  • exonym — a name given in different countries or languages to the same geographical area or feature (e.g., Wien and Vienna): a language game — coined by Philip Howard. Cf. heteronym (sense 2), isonym (sense 1), paronym (sense 1), and synonym (sense 3). [Barnhart:187, Dickson/1:174-75, Dickson/3:xv, Howard]
  • false homonym — a term used to designate a semantic change caused by a homophone mistake; as a: simple misdivision of words, or metanalysis (e.g., "Guy Lombardo" becomes "Guylum Bardo" or "a napron" becomes "an apron"). b: transmutation of words, or the Law of Hobson-Jobson (i.e., British soldiers in India heard the Mohammedan cry of "Ya-Hasan, ya-Husain!" and called it "hobson-jobson"). c: malapropisms (e.g., "the Brahms lullaby" becomes "the bronze lullaby"). d: mistake or misunderstanding or mispronunciation, or folk etymology (e.g., "harebrained" becomes "hairbrained"). Also known as mondegreen and pullet surprise. Cf. malonym, ormonym, and oronym (sense 2). [Safire/1:168, Smith:49 ff.]
  • "faunanym" — a zoonym, q.v. [Ames/2:13]
  • filionym — a name derived from that of a son (from filionymic). Cf. paedonym. [OED:4:214 (1870)]
  • "floranym" — a floronym, q.v. [Ames/1, Ames/2:13]
  • floronym — a personal name derived from a name of a flower (as Violet Black) (preferred form of "floranym," q.v.): a language game. Something of a misnomer, as word itself would imply "a flower's name." Cf. anthonym and phytonym. [†]
  • "gendernym": a word that has a masculine as well as a feminine version in some languages, by having a suffix added or changed, such as esposo and esposa for husband and wife, in Spanish [...]
  • glottonym, a name of a language [...]
  • gynonym — a name that is generally for a female (e.g., Nicole, Heather, Kaitlyn) Cf. andronym (sense 2) [...]
  • hagionym — a sacred or holy name (as Ruth Testimony Holmes): a language game. [Ames/1]
  • hagiotoponym — a place name derived wholly or partly from the names of saints, holy persons, or religious events. [Dugas]
  • hero-eponym — an eponym who was a heroic figure. [Bieleckij:194]
  • heteronym — 1: a word spelled like another, but differing in derivation or meaning or pronunciation — also known as homograph or homonym. Cf. autantonym, contronym, and homonym (sense 1b). 2: a different name for the same thing; especially a name that exactly translates a name in another language; as bread is a heteronym of the German word Brot. Cf. exonym, isonym (sense 1), paronym (sense 1), and synonym (sense 3). [W2, W3]
  • hipponym — a horse's name (from hipponymy). Cf. avionym, ichthyonym, ornithonym, and zoonym. [Nomina]
  • hodonym — a name of a street, road, etc. (from hodonymy). [Zgusta/3:728-29]
  • holonym — a word for the whole of which other words are part, in the way house contains roof, door and window; or car contains steering-wheel and engine (compare "meronym") [...]
  • homoantonym — a word set composed of homonymous quasiantonyms (as knights/nights and daze/days): a language game. There appear to be no true homoantonyms, at least in English.[NPL]
  • homonym — 1. a: a word pronounced like another, but differing in meaning or derivation or spelling — also known as homophone (to, too, two). [W2, W3] b: a word spelled like another, but differing in derivation or meaning or pronunciation — also known as homograph or heteronym (lead, to conduct, and lead, the metal). Cf. autantonym, contronym, heteronym (sense 1), and stressonym. [W3] c: a word spelled and pronounced like another, but differing in meaning (pool of water, and pool, the game). [W3] 2: a namesake. [W2, W3] 3: Biol. a taxonomic designation rejected because the identical term has been used to designate another group of the same rank. Cf. synonym (sense 4). [W2, W3]
  • homosynonym — a word set composed of homonymous synonyms (as see/sea and eye/I): a language game. [Eiss:103,105]
  • hydronym — a name of a body of water (from hydronymy). [W3, Zgusta/2:111, Zgusta/3:729]
  • "hypernym" — a hyperonym, q.v. [...]
  • hyperonym — a generic word that stands for a class or group of equally-ranked items, such as tree for beech or elm, or house for chalet or bungalow (preferred form of “hypernym,” q.v.); a hyperonym is said to be superordinate to a hyponym. [...]
  • hyponym — 1: Bot. & Zool. a generic name not based on a recognizable species. [W2, W3] 2: an item that belongs to and is equally-ranked in a generic class or group, for example lily or violet in the class of flowers; or limousine or hatchback in the class of automobiles; a hyponym is said to be subordinate to a hyperonym. [...]
  • ichthyonym — a fish’s name. Cf. avionym, hipponym, ornithonym, and zoonym. [...]
  • internal tautonym — see tautonym (sense 2b). [Pulliam]
  • isonym — 1: a word having the same root or stem as another — also known as paronym. Cf. exonym, heteronym (sense 2), paronym (sense 1), and synonym (sense 3). [W2] 2: one person's surname which is the same as another person's surname. [Crow, Lasker]
  • "locunym" — a demonym, q.v. — coined by Monique M. Byer. [Dickson/3:xiii]
  • macro-acronym — a macronym, q.v. [†]
  • macrohydronym — an ancient or prehistoric hydronym, q.v. [Georgiev]
  • macronym — an acronym containing a word which is itself an acronym (as NADGE = NATO Air Defense Ground Establishment). Literally, macro-acronym: a language game. Cf. acronym. [Francis/1]; the neologism is something of a play on words
  • malonym — a single metaphor, cliché, or catch-phrase, but with a homonym or homophone mistake (as "I had to tow the line" instead of "toe the line"): a language game. Cf. false homonym, ormonym, and oronym (sense 2). [Grambs]
  • maritonym — a wife's name derived from that of her husband. Cf. andronym (sense 1). [Rzetelska-Feleszko]
  • matronym — a metronym, q.v. [OED:6/2:239 (as "matronymic"), W2 (as "matronymic")]
  • meronym — a word that names a part that belongs to and is therefore subordinate to a larger entity; a part-whole relationship, such as door or window in house, or engine or steering-wheel in car. Cf. holonym. [...]
  • mesonym — a name derived from the middle element of another name (as Liza from Elizabeth). Cf. mesouronym and uronym. [Heller]
  • mesouronym — a name derived from the middle and final elements of another name (as Lizabeth from Elizabeth). Cf. mesonym and uronym. [Heller]
  • metanym — Biol. in taxonomy, a generic name rejected because based on a type species congeneric with the type of a previously published genus. [W2, W3]
    • From the Greek preposition μετα [meta], “between, with, after, akin to, with the sense of after or behind”; which properly gives metonym, q.v. (pre-occupied by another meaning).
  • meta-toponym — a place name in catch phrases, proverbs, etc. (from meta-toponymic). [Belenkaya]
  • metonym — 1. a: a word used in a transferred sense. [OED:6/2:398] b: a word used for another that it may be expected to suggest. [W2, W3] 2: a word used in metonymy, i.e., a figure of speech that consists in using the name of one thing for that of something else with which it is associated (as in "spent the evening reading Shakespeare") — also known as synonym. Cf. synonym (sense 2). [W2, W3] — See also metanym.
  • metronym — 1. a: a name derived from that of the mother or other female ancestor. b: a name tracing descent matrilineally. Cf. matronym. [W2, W3]
  • microtoponym — 1: a name of a "minor" or small natural feature (e.g., a field, path, bridge, ditch, etc.). [Sandred:358 (as "microtoponymy")] 2: a name of an uninhabited place (e.g., a field, a small part of a forest). Cf. toponym. [Zgusta/3:728 (as "microtoponymy"), 731]
  • monogrammonym — 1: a one-letter surname — coined by Jay Ames. [Ames/3:156] 2: a surname homonymic (i.e., homophonic) with a letter of the alphabet: a language game — coined by Jay Ames. [Ames/3:156]
  • mononym — a monomial name, i.e., a name composed of a single term. [W2]
  • myonym — a name of a muscle (from myonymy). [Dorland, OED:6/2:809]
  • near-homonym — one of a set of words that exhibits the characteristics of homonyms, but which are not exact homonyms. Cf. homonym. [?]
  • near-synonym — one of related words which have similar or overlapping definitions, but which are not exact synonyms. Cf. quasi-synonym and synonym. [Francis/2:238-39]
  • near-toponym — an internal tautonym, q.v., or internal reduplication. Cf. internal tautonym and tautonym (sense 2b). [Borgmann/1:145]
  • necronym — 1: a death name; specifically, one of six classes of names of the Temiar, of Malaysia. Cf. penthonym. [Benjamin]
  • neuronym — a name of a nerve or part of the nervous system. [Dorland (as "neuronymy"), W2]
  • neutronym — a word which denotes a meaning midway between antonym pairs (as center : right, left): a language game — coined by Howard W. Bergerson. [Bergerson:181]
  • nonsynonym — one of related words which are not synonyms (e.g., ballooner and balloonist): a language game. Cf. synonym. [Francis/2:238-39]
  • "nym" — an onym, q.v.; specifically, a given name. [Brewer]
  • oeconym — an econym, q.v. [Bieleckij:192]
  • oikonym — an econym, q.v. [Zgusta/2:111]
  • onym — 1. a name; or a publication bearing an author's name (from onymous) (preferred form of "nym," q.v.). [W3] 2. Biol. a technical name or term. [W2]
  • opposonym — a word or phrase that appears to be the opposite of another word or phrase, but which actually has the same or a similar meaning (e.g., flammable and inflammable). [...]
  • organonym — Biol. a technical name of an organ. [W2]
  • ormonym — a verbal pair of charade sentences (as "some others I've seen" and "some mothers I've seen"): a language game. Cf. false homonym, malonym, and oronym (sense 2). [Verbatim]
    • Perhaps from Greek ΄ορμος [(h)ormos], "a kind of danced performed in a ring": something of a play on words.
  • ornithonym — a bird's name. Cf. avionym, hipponym, ichthyonym, and zoonym. [†]
  • oronym — 1: a name of a mountain. [Bieleckij:190, Lutterer:65, Skála, Zgusta/3:729 (as "oronymy")] 2: a word or phrase that is homophonic with another word or phrase (e.g., ice cream and I scream) — coined by Gyles Brandreth. Also known as mondegreen and pullet surprise. Cf. false homonym, malonym, and ormonym. [Brandreth]
  • ouronym — a uronym, q.v. [Heller]
  • paedonym — a name derived from one's child (as Althaea Meleagris, mother of Meleager) (from paedonymic and paedonymy). Implied variant forms include, in order of commonness, pedonym and paidonym. Cf. paidonym and teknonym. [OED:7/2:372 (1883), W2]
  • paidonym — 1: a paedonym, q.v. 2: used to mean a name derived from one's grandchild. [Brewer]
    • As used in sense 2, seemingly derived from a misreading of the Greek παις παιδος [pais paidos], "a child’s child, grandchild"; cf. paedonym.
  • papponym — a name derived from that of a grandparent (from papponymy). [Gelb:47]
    • Seemingly derived from a misreading of the Greek παππος [papppos], "old man, grandfather."
  • paronym — 1: a word having the same derivation (root or stem) as another; a conjugate word — also known as isonym. Cf. exonym, heteronym (sense 2), isonym (sense 1), and synonym (sense 3). [FW, W2, W3] 2. a: a word formed from a word in another language. [W2, W3] b: a word having a form similar to a cognate foreign word. [W3] 3: a homophone (rare). Cf. homonym (sense 1a). [FW, W2]
  • patronym — a name derived from that of the father or a paternal ancestor, especially showing descent by the addition of a prefix or suffix (O’Brien, Ivanovich, MacDonald, Williamson); or a patrilineal surname or family name. [W2, W3]
  • pedonym — a paedonym, q.v. [†]
  • penthonym — a sorrow name; a dead person's name given to a child as an expression of grief. Cf. necronym. [Strathern]
  • phytonym — a plant's name. Cf. anthonym, dendronym, and floronym. [†]
  • pictonym — a word written in such a way that illustrates something about that word: a language game. [Eiss:184, Espy, Kim]
  • peocilonym — 1: a taxonomic designation rejected as being incorrectly applied, or incorrect in form or spelling; or rejected in favor of another because of evidence of the priority of that other, or evidence establishing a more natural genetic classification — also known as synonym. Cf. synonym (sense 4). [W2 (as "poecilonymy")] 2: a different name for the same thing; a synonym. Cf. poikilonym and polyonym (sense 1). [FW, W2]
  • poikilonym — a name taken from a different system of nomenclature (from poikilonymy — the mingling of names or terms from different systems of nomenclature). Cf. poecilonym (sense 2) and polyonym (sense 1). [Dorland]
  • politonym — a name based on political criteria.
  • polonym — a work by several authors. Cf. polyonym. [Harrod]
  • polyonym — 1: a person or thing with, or known by, various names. Cf. poecilonym (sense 2) and polonym. [W2, W3 (as "polyonymous")] 2: Biol. a polynomial name, i.e., a name composed of many terms, or a technical name consisting of more than three words. 3: a synonym (sense 3), q.v. (rare). [W2]
  • protonym — the original of a name (rare). [Sealock:121 (no. 1511), W2]
  • pseudo-contronym — a word which, when modified, can be used in two contradictory senses (e.g., unit = one thing; but un-it = not a thing): a language game — coined by David Morice. Cf. contronym. [Morice]
  • pseudonym — 1: a fictitious name assumed, for the time, as by an author; a pen name (contrast autonym). 2: a pseudonymous work (rare). [W2, W3]
  • quasi-synonym — one of related words which, in some sense or degree, have similar definitions, but which are not exact synonyms: a language game (from quasi-synonymic transposals) — coined by Dmitri A. Borgmann. Cf. near-synonym and synonym. [Borgmann/1:97]
  • retronym — a compound word created by adding an adjective to a noun in order to distinguish between an older and a newer term (e.g., acoustic guitar is a retronym for guitar, to distinguish it from electric guitar): a nonce word — coined by Frank Mankiewicz. [Safire/2]
  • semi-dendronym — cf. dendronym. [Ames/2]
  • sideronym — Astron. a fictitious name (pseudonym) consisting of the name of a celestial body. [W2]
  • stressonym — a word spelled like another, but differing in derivation or meaning or pronunciation, which sounds different only because of the accent (as refuse, garbage, and refuse, decline) — also known as homograph or heteronym: a nonce word — coined by Dora Newhouse. Cf. heteronym. [Newhouse:7]
  • subacronym — an acronym for an organization which is part of a larger unit which also has an acronym (e.g., GODORT MRGITF, for the Government Documents Round Table's Machine-Readable Government Information Task Force, is a subacronym of GODORT): a nonce word — coined by Dan Crawford, Manchester, Iowa. Cf. acronym and superacronym. [Crawford]
  • superacronym — an acronym for a set of subacronyms (e.g., A*L*L*M, for ASCLA LSSPS LSSDDP MAG, for Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies' Libraries Serving Special Populations Section's Library Services to Developmentally Disabled Persons' Membership Activity Group): a nonce word — coined by Dan Crawford, Manchester, Iowa. Cf. acronym and subacronym. [Crawford]
  • synonym — 1: a word having the same meaning as another word of the same language. Contrast antonym 2: a name that suggests another through real or supposed association — also known as metonym. Cf. metonym. 3: one of two or more names for the same thing in different languages or localities — also known as heteronym. Cf. exonym, heteronym (sense 2), isonym (sense 1), and paronym (sense 1). 4: Bot. & Zool. a taxonomic designation rejected as being incorrectly applied, or incorrect in form or spelling; or rejected in favor of another because of evidence of the priority of that other, or evidence establishing a more natural genetic classification — also known as poecilonym. Cf. homonym (sense 3) and poecilonym. [W2, W3]
  • tautonym — 1: Bot. & Zool. a taxonomic designation in which the generic name and the specific epithet are alike (as Tinca tinca, the European tench, or Mephitis mephitis, the common North American skunk) — such names are now forbidden by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. [W2, W3] 2. a: a word or name consisting of two (or more) identical parts (i.e., letter combinations) that repeat, one following the other (as murmur) — also known as a (first-order) reduplication. b: such a word or name containing one or more additional, extraneous alphabetic letters (as alfalfa) — also known as an internal tautonym or internal reduplication. Cf. internal tautonym and near-tautonym. [Borgmann/1:175-76, Borgmann/2:27 ff., Eiss:239-40, Meyers, Pulliam]
  • taxonym — a name used for classification or identification purposes, usually signifying a relationship to something. [...]
  • tecnonym — a teknonym, q.v. [FW]
  • teknonym (or tecnonym) — 1: Ethnol. a parent's name which was derived from a child's name (practiced among certain primitive peoples) (from teknonymy). Cf. paedonym. [FW (as "tecnonym"), OED:11:187 (1888; as "tecnonymy, tek-"), W2 (as "teknonymy"), W3] 2: a child's name when used to identify a person as the parent of that child, rather than by that person's personal name ("Look, there's Tim's father"). [WBD (as "tecnonymy")]
  • tetronym — a tetronomial name, i.e., a name composed of four terms (from tetronymal). [W2]
  • theonym — not defined in context) perhaps (1) a deonym, q.v., or (2) a god's name, or a name derived from a god (from Theonymie). [Zgusta/1:9]
  • toponym — 1: a place name, either a: in the broadest possible sense, including inhabited places, buildings, roads, countries, mountains, rivers, lakes, oceans, stars, etc., or b: restricted to inhabited places (cities, towns, villages, hamlets). Cf. choronym, econym, and microtoponym. [W2, W3, Zgusta/3:728] 2. a: a name derived from the name of a place. [W2, W3] b: a place name which has come to mean something more than the name of a place. [Viney] As used in sense 2, the original meaning is decidedly corrupted.
  • trionym — Biol. a trinomial name, i.e., a name composed of three terms. [W2]
  • troponym — a verb that indicates more precisely the manner of doing something by its replacing a verb of a more generalized meaning, for example "strolling" is a leisurely manner of "walking." [...]
  • typonym — Bot. & Zool. 1. a: a taxonomic name based on an indication of a type specimen or type species rather than on a description or diagnosis. [W2] b: a rejected isogenotypic name. [W2, W3]
  • "urbanym" — a demonym, q.v. — coined by Monique M. Byer. [Dickson/3:xiii]
  • uronym — a name derived from the final element of another name (as Beth from Elizabeth) (modern form of ouronym, q.v.). Cf. mesonym and mesouronym. [†]
  • vertonym — a name which, when reversed (as in a bibliography citation), creates a noteworthy phrase (as "Hill, Billy" from "Billy Hill") (preferred form of "voltenym," q.v.): a language game. [†]
  • "voltenym" — a vertonym, q.v. [Seits]
  • Zoo-Donym® — a wooden puzzle which incorporates animal shapes into the letters forming personal names, manufactured by Mazooma Name Puzzles of Canada under the trade name Zoo-Donyms Hand-Crafted Name Puzzles. — Note on Etymology: A pun on pseudonym, q.v.
  • zoonym — an animal's name (preferred form of "faunanym," q.v.). Cf. avionym, hipponym, ichthyonym, and ornithonym. [Nomina, Zaręba:59]

References / Further Reading

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Foreword. Specialized word-books employed as finding aids include A. F. Brown's Normal and Reverse English Word List, in 8 volumes (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1963), Martin Lehnert's Reverse Dictionary of Present-Day English (Leipzig: Verlag Enzyklopädie, 1971),-Ologies & -Isms: A Thematic Dictionary, 2nd ed., edited by Laurence Urdang (Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1981).

  • Scheetz, George H. Names' Names: A Descriptive and Prescriptive Onymicon. (“What’s In a Name?” Chapbook Series; 2.) Sioux City, Ia.: Schütz Verlag, August 1988.

Sources Consulted

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  • † = The dagger indicates a word form that was developed upon historical principles.
  • ... = The ellipses indicate an unknown source.
  • AHD = The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000.
  • AIAD = Acronyms, Initialisms & Abbreviations Dictionary: A Guide to Over 300,000 Acronyms, Initialisms, Abbreviations, Contractions, Alphabetic Symbols, and Similar Condensed Appellations, 9th ed., 1985-86; Volume 1, Part 1; A-K. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 1984.
  • Ames/1 = Ames, Jay. ANS Bulletin, No. 76 (15 February 1985), p. 2.
  • Ames/2 = Ames, Jay. "An Arboreal Romp." Bulletin of the Illinois Name Society, 3 (Fall 1985): 9-13.
  • Ames/3 = Ames, Jay. "Monogrammonyms." Word Ways, 19 (August 1986): 156-57.
  • Barnhart = The Second Barnhart Dictionary of New English. Bronxville: Barnhart/Harper & Row, 1980, p. 187.
  • Belenkaya, V. D. Ocherki Angloyazychnoy Toponimiki [Studies of English-Speaking Toponymy]. Moscow, 1977. Reviewed by O. J. Padel, Nomina, 2 (1978): 65, 68.
  • Benjamin, Geoffrey. "Temiar Personal Names." Bijdragon tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkerkunde, 124 (1968): 99-134.
  • Bergerson, Howard W. "Kickshaws." Word Ways, 13 (August 1980): 175-86.
  • Berry, Thomas Elliot. Word Study (December 1949).
  • Bieleckij, Andrej. "The Oronymy of Greece." Proceedings of the 13th International Congress of Onomastic Sciences, Volume 1. August 21-25, 1978. Edited by Kazimierz Rymut. Cracow, 1978, pp. 187-96.
  • Blount, Roy, Jr. "As Well as I Do My Own." Eastern Review, April 1986, p. 102.
  • Borgmann/1 = Borgmann, Dmitri A. Language on Vacation: An Olio or Orthographical Oddities. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1965.
  • Borgmann/2 = Borgmann, Dmitri A. "Taming the Tautonym." Word Ways, 19 (February 1986): 27-29.
  • Brewer, Jeffrey D. "Bimanese Personal Names: Meaning and Use." Ethnology, 20 (1981): 203-215.
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Thank you for your consideration. PlaysInPeoria (talk) 00:33, 23 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I prefer the revision to the original. Terms that are still missing include: :: aconsonym
anepronym
apostonym
astronym
autoglossonym
chrononym
cohyponym
desynonym
endonym
ergonym
genonym
geonym
glossonym
hiernym
hypocoronym
morphonym
netcronym
numeronym
odonym
orthonym
paranym
pertainym
petronym
poecilonym (spelling error)
polypseudonym
pseudoeponym
pteronym
textonym
theronym
xenonym
Mjespuiva (talk) 01:46, 21 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Onomonym?

[edit]

Onomonym: one of those words ending in -onym? Just suggesting.. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.98.202.34 (talk) 22:59, 8 February 2021 (UTC)[reply]