synonym
/ˈsɪnənɪm/noun
A word with the same or similar meaning
From Greek syn- (with) + Greek and Aeolic Greek onyma (name).
Lineage
syn-
onyma
The story
Picture two words standing under the same name tag: that is essentially the Greek idea behind synonym. Ancient Greek συνώνυμος joined σύν, “together,” to ὄνομα, “name,” producing a term for words sharing a name or sense. Greek grammarians passed it into Late Latin as synonymum, then French synonyme, before Middle English writers used forms such as sinonyme; the modern spelling became common only around the end of the eighteenth century. The “name” root has an unusually busy family tree, turning up in anonymous, pseudonym, eponym, and onomatopoeia. But perfect twins are rare: begin, start, commence, and initiate overlap without always fitting every sentence interchangeably—so a synonym is often a near-twin wearing a slightly different hat.
Modern usage
An informal internet term for a similar or equivalent word, including computer-generated “content-synonyms” or “see also” links.
- Heard in
- internet slang
- See
- Urban Dictionary