Etymograph

English

synonym

Synonym comes from Latin synōnymum, and goes back to Ancient Greek συνώνυμος ‘synonymous’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυνώνυμος1sunṓnumos‘synonymous’next step skipped: Ancient Greek σῠνώνῠμος
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυνώνυμον1sunṓnumonneuter singular form of συνώνυμος
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsynōnymum1
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sinonyme1
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1848synonym1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English synonym
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1848, United Service Magazine and Naval Milita: “The fair fame of this good Knight has suffered…”.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυνώνυμοςWiktionary, English synonymsunṓnumos‘synonymous’next step skipped: Ancient Greek σῠνώνῠμος
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσυνώνυμονWiktionary, English synonymsunṓnumonneuter singular form of συνώνυμος
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsynōnymumWiktionary, English synonym
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500sinonymeWiktionary, English synonym
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1848synonymWiktionary, English synonym. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1848, United Service Magazine and Naval Milita: “The fair fame of this good Knight has suffered…”

A compound of σύν ‘with’ + ὄνομα ‘name’

Proto-Hellenic *ksún ‘beside, with’

Ancient Greek σύν ‘with’

Hittite ḫannaⁱ- ‘to sue, judge’

Proto-Indo-European *h₁nómn̥ ‘name’

Proto-Hellenic *ónomə ‘name’

Ancient Greek ὄνομα ‘name’

Every English word from Ancient Greek συνώνυμος

Today it means

noun A term (word or phrase) which is synonymous with others.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “synonym”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Ancient Greek συνώνυμος / synonym

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