Heteronymous

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Involving distinct terms that denote the same subject or object
2. Describes a state where different names or labels are used for the same entity
3. Pertains to the use of various terms that refer to one and the same thing

Etymology: "Heteronymous" is formed from "heteronym" plus the suffix "-ous", meaning "having the quality of." The first part, "heteronym," combines Greek "heteros," meaning "other" or "different," with "onyma," meaning "name." A heteronym is a word spelled the same as another but pronounced differently and carrying a different meaning, such as "bass" (a fish) and "bass" (a low voice), so the name literally means "other name." The suffix "-ous" has a longer journey. It descends from Latin "-osus," which passed into Old French as "-us" and entered Middle English as "-ous," where it attached freely to native and borrowed bases. English speakers have used it ever since to turn nouns into adjectives describing full possession of a quality, as in "famous" or "nervous."