adespota

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/əˈdɛspətə/

noun

Literary works not attributed to (or claimed by) an author. (Originally used as a title of collections of anonymous Greek poetry.)

“For quotations using this term, see Citations:adespota.”

OriginNew Latin adespota ← Ancient Greek ἀδέσποτος →
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Meanings

nounadespota pl (plural only)
  1. pluralplural onlybibliographyLiterary works not attributed to (or claimed by) an author. (Originally used as a title of collections of anonymous Greek poetry.)

    For quotations using this term, see Citations:adespota.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἀδέσποτος“anonymous”
  2. New Latinadespota“anonymous literary works”
  3. Englishadespota

From New Latin adespota (“anonymous literary works”), substantivised neuter plural of the adjective adespotos (“anonymous; undedicated”, of books), from Ancient Greek ἀδέσποτος (adéspotos, “anonymous”, of rumours or writings), from ἀ- (a-, “without”, alpha privative) + δεσπότης (despótēs, “master”). Compare despot.

More words from New Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Latin adespota
  • adespotaanonymous literary works
Cite this entry
APA

adespota. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/adespota

MLA

“adespota.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/adespota. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “adespota,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/adespota.

Source: adespota on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.