patronymic

(pa′trə nimik)

adjective

  1. derived from the name of a father or ancestor
  2. showing such descent: a patronymic suffix

Origin: LL patronymicus < Gr patrōnymikos < patēr, father + onyma, name

noun

  1. a name showing descent from a given person as by the addition of a prefix or suffix (Ex.: Stevenson, son of Steven; O'Brien, descendant of Brien; Ivanovna, daughter of John, used in Russ. after the first name)
  2. a family name; surname

See patronymic in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective
Of, relating to, or derived from the name of one's father or a paternal ancestor.
noun
A name so derived.

Origin:

Origin: Late Latin patrōnymicus

Origin: , from Greek patrōnumikos

Origin: , from patrōnumos, named after one's father

Origin: : patēr, patr-, father

Origin: + onuma, name; see nō̆-men- in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • patˌro·nymˈi·cal·ly adverb

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