adespota

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /əˈdɛspətə/

Noun

adespota pl (plural only)

1. (bibliography) Literary works not attributed to (or claimed by) an author. (Originally used as a title of collections of anonymous Greek poetry.)
   • For quotations of use of this term, see Citations:adespota.

References

• “Adespota” on page 6/3 of A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles: Introduction, Supplement, and Bibliography (eds. William Alexander Craigie and Charles Talbut Onions, 1st ed., 1933)

Etymology 1

Substantivisation of the neuter plural of adespotos in elliptical use for scrīpta adespota (“anonymous texts”).

Etymology 2

Regularly declined forms of adespotos and adespotus.