anachronym

English

Etymology

Blend of anachronous +‎ acronym.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /əˈnæk.ɹə.nɪm/
  • Rhymes: -ækɹənɪm
  • Homophone: anacronym

Noun

anachronym (plural anachronyms)

  1. Synonym of backronym
    Hypernym: folk etymology
  2. A term which is used in an anachronous way, by referring to something in a way that is appropriate only for a former or later time. A type of misnomer. Misnomers are not necessarily incorrect; for example, chalk for a chalkboard is normatively called chalk despite it not being made of chalk.
    Hypernym: misnomer

Usage notes

Do not confuse an anachronym (such as lead pencil or tin foil) with an anacronym (such as radar or scuba), despite the homophony of the terms.

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