ANONYMOUS

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does anonymous mean? 

• ANONYMOUS (adjective)
  The adjective ANONYMOUS has 2 senses:

1. having no known name or identity or known source

2. not known or lacking marked individuality

  Familiarity information: ANONYMOUS used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ANONYMOUS (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Having no known name or identity or known source

Synonyms:

anon.; anonymous

Context example:

an anonymous gift

Similar:

nameless; unidentified; unknown; unnamed (being or having an unknown or unnamed source)

Antonym:

onymous (bearing a name)

Derivation:

anonymity (the state of being anonymous)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Not known or lacking marked individuality

Context example:

anonymous bureaucrats in the Civil Service

Similar:

faceless (without a face or identity)

Derivation:

anonymity (the state of being anonymous)

 Context examples 

As anonymous samples and associated data are not traceable back to the subject, it is not possible to undertake actions such as sample withdrawal, or the return of individual results.

(Anonymous Genomic Data and Samples, NCI Thesaurus)

Sometime, perhaps, reading a submitted manuscript of his, they might remember him as the fellow about whom they had received an anonymous letter.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The use of anonymous data and samples does not allow for clinical monitoring, subject follow-up, or the addition of new data.

(Anonymous Genomic Data and Samples, NCI Thesaurus)

Half in delirium, he began muttering aloud the lines of an anonymous poem Brissenden had been fond of quoting to him.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

In some instances only limited clinical data is associated with anonymous samples.

(Anonymous Genomic Data and Samples, NCI Thesaurus)

It was a short, formal letter, signed by the office editor, merely informing him that an anonymous letter which they had received was enclosed, and that he could rest assured the Outview's staff never under any circumstances gave consideration to anonymous correspondence.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Anonymous data and samples are never labelled with personal identifiers and therefore there is no potential to trace back genomic data and samples to an individual subject.

(Anonymous Genomic Data and Samples, NCI Thesaurus)