synonym

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: syn=o=nym

CIDE DICTIONARY

synonym, n. [F. synonyme, L. synonyma, pl. of synonymum, Gr. synw`nymon. See Synonymous.].

•  One of two or more words (commonly words of the same language) which are equivalents of each other; one of two or more words which have very nearly the same signification, and therefore may often be used interchangeably. See under Synonymous.  [1913 Webster]

  "All languages tend to clear themselves of synonyms as intellectual culture advances, the superfluous words being taken up and appropriated by new shades and combinations of thought evolved in the progress of society."  [1913 Webster]

  "His name has thus become, throughout all civilized countries, a synonym for probity and philanthropy."  [1913 Webster]

  "In popular literary acceptation, and as employed in special dictionaries of such words, synonyms are words sufficiently alike in general signification to be liable to be confounded, but yet so different in special definition as to require to be distinguished."  G. P. Marsh.  [1913 Webster]
•  An incorrect or incorrectly applied scientific name, as a new name applied to a species or genus already properly named, or a specific name preoccupied by that of another species of the same genus; -- so used in the system of nomenclature (which see) in which the correct scientific names of certain natural groups (usually genera, species, and subspecies) are regarded as determined by priority.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  One of two or more words corresponding in meaning but of different languages; a heteronym.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

synonym, n.
1 a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another in the same language (e.g. shut and close).
2 a word denoting the same thing as another but suitable to a different context (e.g. serpent for snake, Hellene for Greek) or containing a different emphasis (e.g. blindworm for slow-worm).
3 a word equivalent to another in some but not all senses (e.g. ship and vessel).

Derivative

synonymic adj. synonymity n.

Etymology

ME f. L synonymum f. Gk sunonumon neut. of sunonumos (as SYN-, onoma name): cf. ANONYMOUS

THESAURUS

synonym

Doppelganger, actual thing, antonym, articulation, carbon copy, copy, dead ringer, ditto, double, duplicate, equivalent, exact counterpart, expression, facsimile, free form, homograph, homonym, homophone, idem, identical same, lexeme, linguistic form, locution, logos, metonym, minimum free form, monosyllable, no other, none other, polysyllable, replica, selfsame, spit and image, spitting image, syllable, term, the same, the same difference, twin, usage, utterance, verbalism, verbum, very image, very same, vocable, word

ROGET THESAURUS

synonym

Meaning

N meaning, signification, significance, sense, expression, import, purport, force, drift, tenor, spirit, bearing, coloring, scope, substance, gist, essence, marrow, spirit, matter, subject, subject matter, argument, text, sum and substance, general meaning, broad meaning, substantial meaning, colloquial meaning, literal meaning, plain meaning, simple meaning, natural meaning, unstrained meaning, true meaning, honest meaning, &c 543 prima facie meaning, letter of the law, literally, after acceptation, synonym, implication, allusion, suggestion, figure of speech, acceptation, meaning, expressive, suggestive, allusive, significant, significative, significatory, pithy, full of meaning, pregnant with meaning, declaratory, intelligible, literal, synonymous, tantamount, implied, explicit, to that effect, that is to say.

Interpretation

N interpretation, definition, explanation, explication, solution, answer, rationale, plain interpretation, simple interpretation, strict interpretation, meaning, translation, rendering, rendition, redition, literal translation, free translation, key, secret, clew, clavis, crib, pony, trot, exegesis, expounding, exposition, hermeneutics, comment, commentary, inference, illustration, exemplification, gloss, annotation, scholium, note, elucidation, dilucidation, eclaircissement, mot d'enigme, symptomatology, semiology, semeiology, semiotics, metoposcopy, physiognomy, paleography, oneirology acception, acceptation, acceptance, light, reading, lection, construction, version, equivalent, equivalent meaning, synonym, paraphrase, metaphrase, convertible terms, apposition, dictionary, polyglot, explanatory, expository, explicative, explicatory, exegetical, construable, polyglot, literal, paraphrastic, metaphrastic, consignificative, synonymous, equivalent, in explanation, that is to say, id est, videlicet, to wit, namely, in other words, literally, strictly speaking, in plain, in plainer terms, in plainer words, in plainer English, more simply.