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 While the singer did not pen the novel the movie is based on under a pen name, as many fans have theorized online, her Scottish Fold cats did impact Vaughn’s creative choices. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 25 Jan. 2024 Most were rejected, but a few were published, under a pen name. Clay Risen, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2024 Rowling most recently published The Ink Black Heart under her pen name, Robert Galbraith, last year. Jenny Goldsberry, Washington Examiner, 19 Oct. 2023 This is the reason that a lot of us choose to write under pen names. Jason Parham, WIRED, 13 Sep. 2023 Volume One includes stories by Fredric Brown, Dorothy B. Hughes and Richard Stark (a pen name for Donald Westlake). Tom Nolan, WSJ, 16 Nov. 2023 Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher (who is just Ursula Vernon under a pen name) won best novel; Samantha Mills’ Rabbit Test won best short story; The Expanse and Everything Everywhere All At Once and Dune and Andor are all among the nominees and winners. David Pierce, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2023 Get Tickets on Fandango The Pigeon Tunnel (Theaters and Apple TV+, Oct. 20) Before becoming the 20th century’s premier spy novelist, David Cornwell (better known by his pen name, John le Carré) worked in British intelligence. Keith Phipps, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2023 Elsewhere, writers like Kepner, Sten Russell (pen name of Stella Rush) and Norman Mailer used the magazine’s pages to illuminate pressing issues that remain all too familiar. Manuel Betancourt, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2023

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 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pen name

noun
: a false name used by an author

More from Merriam-Webster on pen name

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