Etymology

retronym

re·tro·nym
R1E1T1R1O1N1Y4M3

Today it means: A new word or phrase coined for an old object or concept whose original name has become used for something else or is no longer unique, or which did not originally have a specific name. Full definition →

First used 1980s
Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

The story

From retro- + -onym; coined by Frank Mankiewicz and popularized by William Safire.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 1980s A new word or phrase coined for an old object or concept whose original name has become used for something else or is no longer unique, or which did not originally have a specific name.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.