WikiWord

English

retronym

/ɹəˈtɹəʊ.nɪm/ · noun

Meaning

  1. A new word or phrase coined for an old object or concept whose original name has become used for something else or is no longer unique, or which did not originally have a specific name.

Etymology / origin

From retro- + -onym; coined by Frank Mankiewicz and popularized by William Safire.

Related words

Descendant words

Sources

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