synonymize, v.
(sɪˈnɒnɪmaɪz)
[f. late L. synōnym-um synonym n. + -ize.]
1. trans. To give the synonyms of. rare.
| c 1595 Carew Excell. Eng. Tongue in G. G. Smith Eliz. Crit. Ess. II. 292 This worde fortis wee maye synnonomize after all these fashions, stoute, hardye, valiaunt, doughtye, Couragious, aduenturous, &c. 1697 Phil. Trans. XIX. 394 Our Common Garden Kind [of Snail] which I have Synonimized under No. 13. |
2. intr. To be synonymous with. rare.
| 1611 Cotgr. s.v. Rez, Alluding to the signification of rez, wherewith Tondus almost synonymizeth. |
3. To use synonyms; to express the same meaning by different words. Also in vbl. n. and ppl. a. rare.
| 1700 [W. King] Transactioneer 36 He's as successful in his Descriptions as in his Synonymizings. 1805 W. Taylor in Monthly Mag. XX. 17 To synonimize is to express one thought in different terms. 1851 Fraser's Mag. XLIV. 694 The creation of new words, with its synonymizing tendency. |
4. trans. To furnish with lists of synonyms; to make synonymic. nonce-use.
| 1805 Perry (title) The Synonymous, Etymological, and Pronouncing English Dictionary;..being an attempt to synonymise his [sc. Dr. Johnson's] folio Dictionary of the English Language. |
5. a. To be synonymous with (a concept, phrase, etc.).
| 1938 S. Leslie Film of Memory v. 144 The old Baroness was very popular with the crowd and synonymised Victorian charity. 1947 Partridge Usage & Abusage 44/2 As to in such senses..is defensible when it synonymizes in respect of or in the matter of. |
b. To regard (terms, concepts, etc.) as synonymous.
| 1970 Nature 5 Sept. 1065/1 Hill's classification is not wholly in line with recent trends in primate systematics, which is to synonymize the species of Papio. 1976 Ibid. 5 Feb. 360/2 If we were now to start referring to cyanophytes as ‘blue-green bacteria’, we would implicitly synonymise the words ‘prokaryota’ and ‘bacteria’. |