Origin and history of synonymous

synonymous(adj.)

c. 1600, of words, "denoting the same idea, equivalent in meaning," from Medieval Latin synonymus, from Greek synōnymos "of like name" (see synonym). Synonymal (1610s) is obsolete. Related: Synonymously.

also from c. 1600

Entries linking to synonymous

synonym(n.)

"word having the same sense as another," early 15c., synoneme, sinonyme, from Old French synonyme (12c.) and directly from Late Latin synonymum, from Greek synōnymon "word having the same sense as another," noun use of neuter of synōnymos "having the same name as, synonymous," from syn- "together, same" (see syn-) + onyma, Aeolic dialectal form of onoma "name" (from PIE root *no-men- "name").

Opposite of antonym. In Middle English also as the name of a 7c. book by Isidore, a dialogue between Man and Reason who describe differently the same situations. Until 18c. usually in plural form, synonymes, or, if singular, synonyma. The modern form of the word "scarcely makes its appearance, except in dictionaries, till the close of the 18th century" [OED, 2nd edition, print, 1989].

But what we have long and loosely called synonyms are now understood to be, with trifling exceptions, pseudo-synonyms, by which are meant vocables approximating in import, but not equipollent or interchangeable. [Fitzedward Hall, "Modern English," 1873]

Hall's choice as a technically exact word in place of synonyms was homœosemants.

synonymy(n.)

1650s, "use of synonyms;" 1794, "quality of being synonymous," from French synonymie and directly from Late Latin synonymia, from Greek synōnymia, from synōnymos " of like name" (see synonymous). Earlier in English as sinonimia (1580s).

*no-men-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "name."

It might form all or part of: acronym; allonym; ananym; anonymous; antonomasia; antonym; binomial; caconym; cognomen; denominate; eponym; eponymous; heteronym; homonym; homonymous; hyponymy; ignominious; ignominy; innominable; Jerome; matronymic; metonymy; metronymic; misnomer; moniker; name; nomenclature; nominal; nominate; noun; onomastic; onomatopoeia; paronomasia; paronym; patronym; patronymic; praenomen; pronoun; pseudonym; renown; synonym; synonymy; synonymous; toponym.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit nama; Avestan nama; Greek onoma, onyma; Latin nomen; Old Church Slavonic ime, genitive imene; Russian imya; Old Irish ainm; Old Welsh anu "name;" Old English nama, noma, Old High German namo, Old Norse nafn, Gothic namo "name."