adjective
anonymous
uh-NAH-nih-mus/əˈnɑːnɪməs/
Without a known or distinguishing identity.
An anonymous donor pays for the repairs to the community center.
Etymology
The pieces mean “without a name.” The connection is to identification: someone anonymous is unnamed or unidentified, just as anonymous writing does not name its author.
In context
There was no anonymous bank account. There was no secure witness protection program. There was no distant country where you could instantly disappear with a new identity.
More examples
- The complaint arrived in an anonymous letter.
- They spend the night in an anonymous hotel beside the highway.
- The survey keeps every participant anonymous.
Forms
anonymity noun — The state of having an undisclosed identity.
Similar words
- unnamed
- Indicates an omitted name without implying an unknown identity.
- unremarkable
- Lacks distinction without necessarily concealing who or what it is.