anachronym
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English
Etymology
Blend of anachronous + acronym.
Pronunciation
Noun
anachronym (plural anachronyms)
- Synonym of backronym
- Hypernym: folk etymology
- A term which is used in an anachronistic way, by referring to something in a way that is appropriate only for a former or later time. A type of misnomer. Misnomers are not necessarily incorrect; for example, chalk for a chalkboard is normatively called chalk despite it not being made of chalk.
- Hypernym: misnomer
Usage notes
- Do not confuse an anachronym (such as tin foil) with an anacronym (such as radar or scuba), despite the homophony of the terms.
- Distinguish a retronym, a term invented later for an old object or concept. In a work set before the invention of electric guitars, a reference to an acoustic guitar would be anachronistic, but a reference to one today would not be, although it is a retronym.