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Secrets of Nym Trivia Quiz

Most people are familiar with synonyms and homonyms, but how about eponyms, autonyms or toponyms? In the following quiz I will give you a brief definition and then ask you to classify a word or phrase.

A multiple-choice quiz by catamount. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
catamount

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
182,010

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
1698

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. A toponym is a place name or a word derived from a place name. Which of these choices is a toponym? Hint

Cent

Dollar

Pound

Mark

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Question 2 of 10

2. A hypernym is a word that has a more general meaning than another. Which of the following word pairs contains a hypernym? Hint

Knife/fork

Rain/snow

Cat/dog

Chair/furniture

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Question 3 of 10

3. An oronym is a string of words that are homophonic with another string of words. True or false: the answer to the following riddle is an oronym: "How is a haystack like a mouse?"

True

False

4. A retronym is a new name as a modification from an older term that used to stand on its own, because the meaning of the older term has changed. Which of the following choices is a retronym? Hint

Coffee table

Mink coat

Silent movie

Sail boat

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Question 5 of 10

5. An exonym is a place name used by foreigners which differs from the place name used by residents in their local language. Which of these place names is an exonym? Hint

England

London

Ireland

Denver

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Question 6 of 10

6. A capitonym is a word that changes its meaning and pronunciation when capitalized. Which of these words is a capitonym? Hint

Polish

Russian

Bulgarian

Hungarian

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Question 7 of 10

7. An aptronym is a name that suits its owner. What would be an appropriate name for a coiffeur? Hint

I. Sore

Dan Druff

Bill Ett

Mary Mee

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Question 8 of 10

8. An apostonym is a word that becomes a different word when an apostrophe is removed from it. Which of the following is created from an apostonym? Hint

Hell

Hades

Heaven

Hel

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Question 9 of 10

9. A troponym is a verb that indicates an action more precisely than another more general verb. Which of the following verbs is a troponym? Hint

Eat

Swim

Crawl

Stand

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Question 10 of 10

10. A contronym is a word that can take on two opposite meanings. Which of the following words is a contronym? Hint

Lazy

Speedy

Fast

Slow

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. A toponym is a place name or a word derived from a place name. Which of these choices is a toponym?

Answer: Dollar

"Dollar" is derived from "Taler" or "Thaler", a coin which was originally minted from a silver mine in St. Joachimstal in Bohemia. "Cent" means one hundredth of a dollar. "Pound" and "mark" are from units of weight.

2. A hypernym is a word that has a more general meaning than another. Which of the following word pairs contains a hypernym?

Answer: Chair/furniture

"Furniture" is the hypernym because it has a more general meaning than "chair". All chairs are furniture, but not all furniture are chairs.

3. An oronym is a string of words that are homophonic with another string of words. True or false: the answer to the following riddle is an oronym: "How is a haystack like a mouse?"

Answer: True

The answer to the riddle: "The cattle eat it/the cat'll eat it." Other famous oronyms are "ice cream/I scream" and "mint spy/mince pie".

4. A retronym is a new name as a modification from an older term that used to stand on its own, because the meaning of the older term has changed. Which of the following choices is a retronym?

Answer: Silent movie

This is a little tricky, but just keep in mind that at one time all movies were silent movies. Today the word "movie" in general use means a movie with sound and colour, therefore the adjective "silent" has been added to describe movies of a certain period. The same is not true for the other choices that are merely specific kinds of coats, boats or tables.

5. An exonym is a place name used by foreigners which differs from the place name used by residents in their local language. Which of these place names is an exonym?

Answer: Ireland

The Irish Gaelic name for their country is �ire.

6. A capitonym is a word that changes its meaning and pronunciation when capitalized. Which of these words is a capitonym?

Answer: Polish

"Polish" refers to Poland, and "polish" means to buff or shine something.

7. An aptronym is a name that suits its owner. What would be an appropriate name for a coiffeur?

Answer: Dan Druff

The other choices might be suitable for an ophthalmologist, a ticket seller and a Justice of the Peace.

8. An apostonym is a word that becomes a different word when an apostrophe is removed from it. Which of the following is created from an apostonym?

Answer: Hell

You get "hell" by removing the apostrophe from "he'll".

9. A troponym is a verb that indicates an action more precisely than another more general verb. Which of the following verbs is a troponym?

Answer: Crawl

The crawl is a swim style, therefore "to crawl" is a more specific verb than "to swim". In another use, "crawling" across the ground is a more specific term than "moving".

10. A contronym is a word that can take on two opposite meanings. Which of the following words is a contronym?

Answer: Fast

Fast means "speedy" as well as "fixed in place".

Source: Author catamount

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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