cryptonym
Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- noun A word or name that is used secretly to refer to another; a code name or code word.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- noun A private, secret, or hidden name; a name which one bears in some society or brotherhood.
Examples
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Alex was the cryptonym for Colonel Oleg Vladimirovich Penkovsky of the GRU, a man who had provided the British and American intelligence services with information beyond price.
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The agent's cryptonym was Night Stock, and his real name was Marcel Tiraque.
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A code name or cryptonym is a word or name used clandestinely to refer to another name or word, in order to protect secret projects and the like from business rivals.
Note
The word 'cryptonym' comes from Greek roots meaning 'secret' and 'name'.
