Where does “anonymity” come from?
Anonymity comes from French anonyme, from Latin anonymus, derived from Ancient Greek ἀ- (not) and ὄνυμα (name), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning negation and designation.
anonymity (English): The quality or state of being anonymous;...
Definitions
- The quality or state of being anonymous;...
Ancestry of “anonymity”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | anōnymus | anonymous |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἀνώνυμος | anonymous, nameless |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἀν- | Alternative form of ἀ- used before a vowel;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ὀρθός | straight, upright, erect; straight forward, in a... |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | ortʰwós | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃r̥dʰwós | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃erdʰ- | to increase, grow; upright, high |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -wós | Creates adjectives from verb stems |