Pseudonym
/psɔɪ̯dɔˈnyːm/neuter
The English phrase pseudonym is Pseudonym in German.
Pseudonym refers to a fictitious name (more literally, a false name).
Meaning: fictitious name (more literally, a false name) (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is neuter, meaning the definite article is das. The plural form is Pseudonyme.
How do you pronounce it?
/psɔɪ̯dɔˈnyːm/
Did you know?
- In German literature, the act of writing under a Pseudonym is often linked to the concept of Doppelgänger, exploring the psychological split between the real and fake persona.
- While English speakers use 'pen name', Germans often use the word 'Deckname', which literally translates to 'cover name' and is frequently used in espionage contexts.
- The German word Pseudonym was borrowed from the French word pseudonyme, which in turn came from the Ancient Greek ψευδώνυμος.
Examples in context
- "Betty" ist nur ein Pseudonym."Betty" is just a pseudonym.The first sentence shows how to identify a specific name as a Pseudonym.Tatoeba #789513 by BraveSentry, translation #5764571 by zumley
- Er reist unter einem Pseudonym.He travels under a pseudonym.The second sentence demonstrates traveling under a Pseudonym.Tatoeba #7953578 by manese, translation #13060275 by araneo
- Sie reiste unter einem Pseudonym.She travelled under a pseudonym.The third sentence shows a past tense example of traveling under a Pseudonym.Tatoeba #1430272 by Esperantostern, translation #10306264 by sundown
- Ist Ihnen das Pseudonym 'Mark Twain' bekannt? Er war ein prominenter amerikanischer Schriftsteller des 19. Jahrhunderts.Are you familiar with the pseudonym 'Mark Twain'? He was a prominent American writer of the 19th century.
- Der Zeuge wurde unter dem Tarnnamen 'Phoenix' interviewt, um seine Identität zu schützen.The witness was interviewed under the cover name 'Phoenix' to protect his identity.
- Der Agent wurde mit dem Decknamen 'Roter Falke' in die feindlichen Linien entsandt.The agent was sent behind enemy lines with the cover name 'Red Hawk'.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sarah and Maximilian are talking about a mysterious author.
- SarahWer hat dieses Buch geschrieben?Who wrote this book?
- MaximilianDer Autor benutzt ein Pseudonym.The author uses a pseudonym.
- SarahWarum macht er das überhaupt?Why does he even do that?
- MaximilianEr möchte seine Privatsphäre schützen.He wants to protect his privacy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pseudonym” translations and entries Pseudonym, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Pseudonym, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
