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pseudonym

pseudonym [Gr.,=false name], name assumed, particularly by writers, to conceal identity. A writer's pseudonym is also referred to as a nom de plume (pen name). Famous examples in literature are George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), O. Henry (William Sydney Porter), Stendhal (Marie Henri Beyle), and George Sand (Mme Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin, baronne Dudevant). Perhaps because the genre is not considered a serious one, detective story writers often use pseudonyms, especially if they are noted in other fields; for example, the poet C. Day Lewis wrote mysteries under the name Nicholas Blake.

Bibliography: See S. Halkett and J. Laing, Dictionary of Anonymous and Pseudonymous English Literature (7 vol., rev. ed. 1926-34; repr. 1971).

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pseudonym

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Â© The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology 1996, originally published by Oxford University Press 1996. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

pseudonym XIX. — F. pseudonyme — Gr. pseudṓnumon, n. of pseudṓnumos (ónuma, ónoma NAME), whence pseudonymous XVIII.

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T. F. HOAD. "pseudonym." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 9 Jul. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | © The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2009, originally published by Oxford University Press 2009. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

pseu·do·nym / ˈsoōdn-im/ • n. a fictitious name, esp. one used by an author. DERIVATIVES: pseu·do·nym·i·ty / ˌsoōdnˈimətē/ n.

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	International encyclopedia of pseudonyms; part 1: Real names; v.3: Dibattista - Gosiorovsky.(Brief Article)(Book Review) Magazine article from: Reference & Research Book News; 5/1/2007
	International encyclopedia of pseudonyms; part 1: Real names; v.2: Bradel -- Diaz y Rodriquez.(Brief Article)(Book Review) Magazine article from: Reference & Research Book News; 5/1/2007
	International Encyclopedia of Pseudonyms: Part 1, Real Names, vol. 1, A - Bradds.(Brief Article)(Book Review) Magazine article from: Reference & Research Book News; 8/1/2006

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