Anonymus

Anonymus is not a widely recognized term in contemporary English and is generally considered a variant spelling or misrendering of the word anonymous. In standard usage, the adjective and noun are anonymous, and the proper noun Anonymous is used for the online collective and for generic references to unidentified persons.

Etymology and variants

The concept derives from the Greek anōnymos, meaning “without a name.” This formed the Latin anonymus and spread into other European languages, giving rise to the English anonymous through the influence of Old French anonime. The form anonymus persists in some historical or scholarly contexts as a Latinized or bibliographic variant, rather than as a common English spelling.

Usage and interpretation

In modern English, anonymous is the correct form to describe someone whose identity is unknown or withheld. Anonymus, when encountered, is typically a misspelling, a deliberate Latinized rendering, or a stylistic or fictional name used in specific texts. In bibliographies or cataloging, unknown authors are more commonly indicated as Anonymous or Anon., not anonymus. The term Anonymous is also associated with a well-known loosely organized activist and hacktivist group, which uses the exact spelling Anonymous rather than anonymus.

See also

Anonymous, Anonymity, Pseudonym, Unknown author.

Note

If encountered in a text, anonymus should be interpreted in context: as a historical Latinized variant, a typographical error, or as a fictional or branded name, rather than as a distinct, widely used term.