patronym
- noun
- /ˈpeɪtrəˌnɪm/
- Specialized
:
patronímico
- The name 'Johnson' is a classic example of an English patronym.
Examples
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Many cultures form a patronym by adding specific prefixes or suffixes to the father's name.
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In Iceland, a patronym is commonly used instead of a family surname.
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What is your patronym?
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His patronym indicates his father's name.
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In some cultures, a person's patronym reflects their father's name, such as Johnson meaning 'son of John'.
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Many Icelanders use a patronym system where surnames are derived from the father's first name followed by 'son' or 'dottir'.
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The use of a patronym can help trace family lineage back to a specific ancestor in genealogical research.
Synonyms
1
9.8
A last name that comes from a father's first name
A family name in ancient Rome that shows a person's family group
Surface Forms
Morphology
patronym = patr + onym
Built from Greek combining forms patr(o)- ('father') and -onym ('name'), which are not standalone English words, so the composition is not reliably inferable by an average B1 learner.
Etymology
Patronym comes from the Greek roots patēr 'father' and onyma 'name', so it literally means a 'father-name'. So a patronym is a family name made from a father's given name, like Johnson which means 'John's son'.