pen name

noun

: an author's pseudonym

Examples of pen name in a Sentence

Samuel L. Clemens is better known by his pen name “Mark Twain.”
Recent Examples on the Web One is Paul Benjamin (Mr. Auster’s early pen name; Benjamin was his middle name), a cerebral, cigarette-puffing writer (William Hurt) whose life is saved when a young man (Harold Perrineau) pulls him from the path of a truck. Alex Williams, New York Times, 1 May 2024 The prolific author has at least 35 titles to her name (and her pen name) and has sold more than 45 million copies of her books, according to her official biography. Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pen name 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pen name.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pen name was circa 1864

Dictionary Entries Near pen name

Cite this Entry

“Pen name.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pen%20name. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

pen name

noun
: a false name used by an author

More from Merriam-Webster on pen name

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