sb. Forms: see below. [ad. late L. synōnymum, -on, a. Gr. ουνώνυμον, neut. sing. used subst. of ουνώνυμος, f. σύν SYN- + -ωνυμ- (as in νώνυμ(ν)ος, ἀνώνυμος nameless, ANONYMOUS) = ὄνομα NAME. Cf. F. synonyme, † sinonime (12th c.), It., Sp. sinonimo, Pg. synonymo. The earliest instances are plural (after L. synonyma, Gr. ουνώνυμα), anglicized sinonymes, synonymes, in Latin or Græco-Latin form synonyma, synonuma, incorrectly with addition of pl. -s, synonymas (whence a rare spurious sing. synonyma). The anglicized sing. synonym(e scarcely makes its appearance, except in dictionaries, till the close of the 18th century.]
1. Strictly, a word having the same sense as another (in the same language); but more usually, either or any of two or more words (in the same language) having the same general sense, but possessing each of them meanings which are not shared by the other or others, or having different shades of meaning or implications appropriate to different contexts: e.g., serpent, snake; ship, vessel; compassion, fellow-feeling, sympathy; enormous, excessive, immense; glad, happy, joyful, joyous; to kill, slay, slaughter; to grieve, mourn, lament, sorrow. Const. for, of, † formerly to, with.
In quot. 1432–50 sinonymes is a rendering of the title of Isidore’s work Synonyma de lamentatione animae peccatricis, where it denotes identical ideas expressed in different ways in the course of the work: cf. OF. sinonimes (12th c. in Romania, 1876, V. 275).
Plural. α. 5 sinonymes, 6–9 synonymes, 8 synonimes, 8– synonyms.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), VI. 51. Isidorus … lefte noble werkes … as the books of his Ethimologies,… of the ordre of creatures, sinonymes, and mony oþer þinges.
1540. Palsgrave, trans. Acolastus, Epistle A iij b. Theyr yong scholers … be forced to falle a glosynge … of their latyn bokes … of dyuers englishe wordes … beinge synonymes … they chuse moste commonly the very worste.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. xiii. § 25. 41 b. If the Father and the Sonne were Synonymes or seuerall names signifying one thyng.
1715. Bentley, Serm. Popery, 4. Hesychius makes them [sc. καπηλεύοντες and δολῶντες] Synonyms.
1783. Walker, 18 April, in Boswell, Johnson. Walker. Do you think, Sir, that there are any perfect synonimes in any language? Johnson. Originally there were not; but by using words negligently, or in poetry, one word comes to be confounded with another.
1785. Reid, Intell. Powers, I. i. 14. Most synonimes have some minute distinction that deserves notice.
1856. Max Müller, Chips (1880), II. xvi. 74. The more ancient a language, the richer it is in synonymes.
1863. Bain, Higher Engl. Gram. (1879), 73. Only, with the synonymes ‘solely,’ ‘merely,’ ‘alone.’
1874. Sayce, Compar. Philol., i. 27. Another mode of arresting our attention and giving distinctness to the thought which has to be expressed is by setting two synonymes side by side.
1904. H. Bradley, Making of English, v. 176. The notion of striking was expressed by the verb now pronounced slay, which survives only in a narrowed and developed meaning…. Here,… German has kept the old word (schlagen), while English has rejected it for more vigorous synonyms.
β. 6–7 synonoma, synonuma, 6–9 synonyma, 7 synonima.
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent, 289. This Horsa, and his Brother Hengist (both whose names be Synonuma, and signifie a Horse).
1573. G. Harvey, Scholar’s Love, in Letter-bk. (Camden), 116. Those two, I take it, are Synonoma.
1585. Fetherstone, trans. Calvin on Acts xiii. 1. 290. It may be that they [sc. doctors and prophets] are in this place Synonyma, or that they signifie both one thing.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., s.v. Marque, Marques and Reprizals are used as Synonima.
1668. Wilkins, Real Char., II. xii. 290. The words Weal, welfare, are mentioned as Synonoma.
1673. Sir P. Leycester, Hist. Antiq., I. iii. 97. Dux and Consul in these Ages were Synonima.
1807. G. Chalmers, Caledonia, I. II. i. 221. The barrenness of the Anglo-Saxon language may be seen in the fewness of its synonyma.
γ. 6–7 synonym-, -im-, -aes, 6–8 -a’s, -as, (6 sunonimas), 6–7 synonamaes, 7 synonemas, sinonimaes.
[1594. Sunonimas: see 1 c.]
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. ii. II. Babylon, 368. Better then Greeke with her Synonymaes, Fit Epithetes, and fine Metaphoraes.
a. 1634. Coke, 4th Pt. Inst. (1648), 30. In the statute of 11 H. 4. Customes and Subsidies are used as Synonymaes.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., I. Sect. vi. 98. All the synonyma’s of sadnesse were little enough to expresse this great weeping.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., VI. i. 269. Nothing more common than to make Monks and Fryers both Synonyma’s and reciprocall.
1765. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, VIII. xix. The Corporal, wishing … the word and all its synonimas at the Devil.
1789. G. Campbell, Four Gospels, I. iv. 127. The use of such synonymas [as ἀπιστία and σκληροκαρδία].
Singular. α. 6 synonomon, 7 synonymum, 7–8 synonymon.
In quots. 1583 and 1673 perhaps to be taken as neut. adj.
1583. Fulke, Def. Tr. Script., i. 11. For them … whiche knowe … that Simulachrum is Synonomon with Imago.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, I. v. 26. Give me a synonymon for a gammon of bacon.
1653. H. More, Conject. Cabbal. (1713), 146. I need not note that Μνήμη was added as a synonymon of Μνημοσύνη.
1659. Termes de la Ley, 352. Faitour … an evil doer, or an idle companion,… a Synonymon to Vagabond.
1673. O. Walker, Educ., 125. Satyricalnes, (which is almost synonymum to wit).
β. 6 sinonime, 8–9 synonime, 7– synonym(e.
1598. Florio, Sinomino, a sinonime, or word of one signification.
1668. Wilkins, Real Char., III. iv. 314. The last Combination doth consist of such as are … Expositive; either by Synonyme, or by Instance. Ibid., Dict., Synonym.
1727. Boyer, Dict. Royal, Synonime … a Synonym, or Synonyma.
1801. Mason, Suppl. to Johnson, Synonyme, a word of the same meaning as some other word. [Quot. from Reid has synonimes.]
1816. Coleridge, Lay Serm., App. p. xvi. Worth was degraded into a lazy synonyme of value.
1825. Macaulay, Ess., Milton (1843), I. 12. Change the structure of the sentence; substitute one synonyme for another; and the whole effect is destroyed.
1828–32. Webster, s.v., A name, noun or other word having the same signification as another, is its synonym.
1853. W. Gregory, Inorg. Chem. (ed. 3), 25. The term atomic weight is used,… but only as a convenient synonym for the term equivalent.
1869. Gladstone, Juv. Mundi, ii. (1870), 69. We have also to consider the word Panachaioi…. We cannot take it for a mere synonym of Achaioi.
γ. 7 synonima, 8 synonyma.
1611. Cotgr., Synonime, a Synonima.
1727. [see β].
1776. G. Campbell, Philos. Rhet., I. I. vi. 172. The stress of the argument lies in a mere synonyma, or something equivalent.
b. spec. in Nat. Hist. A systematic name having the same, or nearly the same, application as another, esp. as another that has superseded it.
1659. Ray, Corr. (1848), 2. I shall give the names of all plants … in an alphabetical order, together with their synonyma.
1765. Museum Rust., IV. 441. Gramen typhinum majus, seu primum.… Mr. Hudson then adds, as a synonym, Gramen typhinum medium s. vulgatissimum.
1833. Lyell, Princ. Geol., III. Pref. p. xvi. We cannot have too complete a catalogue of all the species … together with their synonyms.
1857. Henfrey, Bot., § 184. We find a distinct generic name given as a synonym.
c. The equivalent of a word in another language.
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., 27. Bidding a man boniure in Germane sunonimas.
1804. Anna Seward, Mem. E. Darwin, 202. Had life been used instead of its Latin synonym [printed synonism] ens.
2. By extension: A name or expression that involves or implies a meaning properly or literally expressed by some other; ‘another name for.’
1631. Massinger, Emperor East, I. ii. Informer.… As I am the State scout, you may think me an informer. Mast. They are Synonima.
1690. C. Nesse, Hist. & Myst. O. & N. Test., I. 129. Abrahams bosom is made the synonymon (of the same import) with heaven.
1784. R. Bage, Barham Downs, I. 329. Nor of dishonour neither, which I suppose is the modern synonime with marriage.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iv. I. 507. His [sc. William Penn’s] name has … become … a synonyme for probity and philanthropy.
1868. G. Duff, Pol. Surv., 229. This region [sc. Peru], whose name was so long a synonym for wealth and magnificence.
1874. Green, Short Hist., ix. § 1. 602. ‘Hobbism’ became, ere he died, the popular synonym for irreligion and immorality.
1879. Lubbock, Sci. Lect., v. 161. The word ferrum was employed in Latin as a synonym for a sword.
3. transf. Either of two or more things of like or identical nature but called by different names, e.g., corresponding geological formations in different regions. (Cf. SYNONYMITY b.)
1839. Murchison, Silur. Syst., I. iv. 66. The formation differs essentially both from its type in the North of England, and from its foreign Synonyms.
4. loosely. A person of the same name as another; a ‘namesake’: = HOMONYM 2. nonce-use.
1837. Syd. Smith, Sir J. Mackintosh, Wks. (1850), 650/1. A Scotch cousin, who had mistaken me for my gallant synonym, the hero of Acre.
Hence † Synonym v. (rare), trans., to designate by a synonym.
1761. Da Costa, in Phil. Trans., LII. 446. It is truly a kind of crystal, and might with propriety be synonymed Crystallus viridis colummaris lateribus inordinatis.
