Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

anacronym

/əˈnæk.ɹə.nɪm/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: anacronym
IPA: /əˈnæk.ɹə.nɪm/

16

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

1

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An acronym that is usually no longer thought of as such, but instead treated as a regular word and styled in lower case despite its etymological origin.

Example Sentences

"When you write about using a waterproof laser pointer while scuba diving, you probably aren’t going to write about “a L.A.S.E.R. pointer for S.C.U.B.A. diving”, because the words laser and scuba are anacronyms."

Etymology

Perhaps blend of anachronism + acronym but perhaps an- + acronym, in either case indicating an acronymic word that has lost much of its acronymic identity because people usually no longer focus on the etymonic origin when using the word.

Word Breakdown

Prefix: an

Inflected Forms

anacronyms (plural)

Derived Forms

anacronymic

Frequently Paired Words

backronym orphan acronym orphan initialism

Homonyms

anachronym

Rhymes With

acronym pseudo-acronym recursive acronym backronym macronym

Questions

How do you pronounce anacronym?: The recorded pronunciation is /əˈnæk.ɹə.nɪm/.
What does anacronym mean?: An acronym that is usually no longer thought of as such, but instead treated as a regular word and styled in lower case despite its etymological origin.
Where does anacronym come from?: Perhaps blend of anachronism + acronym but perhaps an- + acronym, in either case indicating an acronymic word that has lost much of its acronymic identity because people usually no longer focus on the etymonic origin when using the word.

How to pronounce anacronym

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “anacronym”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/əˈnæk.ɹə.nɪm/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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