retronym

1 9.8

A new word or phrase that names an older thing after a newer type appears

noun
/ˈrɛtrəˌnɪm/

: retrónimo

The term retronym refers to words like 'acoustic guitar', which differentiate from newer types like 'electric guitar'.

Examples

A retronym is fascinating.
The introduction of color television made 'black-and-white television' a necessary retronym.
With the rise of e-mail, the phrase 'postal mail' became a common retronym.
The word retronym is commonly used.
The term retronym is used when the original item, like 'typewriter', requires a new name, such as 'manual typewriter', to distinguish it from modern versions.
In modern dining, 'farm-to-table' is a retronym that emphasizes how food is sourced directly from local farms.
With the advent of smartphones, the term 'landline' has become a retronym to refer specifically to traditional telephone service.

Surface Forms

retronym singular

retronyns plural

Morphology

retronym = retro + nym

The meaning is partly transparent from 'retro' (earlier/behind) + the name-forming element 'nym', but '-nym' is a specialized combining form rather than a standalone English word, so full transparency for an average learner is limited.

Etymology

Retronym is made from the parts retro- ('back' or 'earlier') and -nym ('name'), the same root you see in synonym. So a retronym is a new name given to an older thing after a newer version comes out, for example 'acoustic guitar' or 'postal mail'.