retronymy

Definitions

The process of creating retronyms; coining new words for existing concepts because the meaning of the original word has broadened.

uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“Much retronymy is driven by advances in technology.”

“Of special interest⟳ to terminologists is retronymy, which consists of renaming an existing concept more precisely in order⟳ to adjust to a conceptual shift, as will be illustrated below.”

“What they describe⟳ is the well-known phenomenon of retronymy (see⟳, for instance, Ahmad & Collingham 1996). Whatever such consequential terminological changes are called, this understanding of 'gap' is system-related.”

CEFR level