Question

Out of the given alternatives, choose the one which can be substituted for the given word/sentence.
Of unknown and unadmitted authorship
A) Gullible
B) Anonymous
C) Unanimous
D) Vexation

Answer 1

Hint: This word is most commonly used to refer to pieces of literature, for e.g. poems, stories etc. This word has a Greek origin and came to be used in the English language since the 16th century. The word has a similar origin and meaning to the word ‘pseudonyms’.

Complete answer:
In order to answer such types of questions, one must be familiar with the meaning of the words provided in the options. The phrase given in the question refers to a ‘state when the writer or the author of a piece of literature is not known or the author does not take the credit himself/herself. Let us now check the options and see which of them has a similar meaning to the phrase given in the question.

Now let us look at the given options:
Option (A) Gullible – This word is used to refer to someone who can be easily persuaded to believe something. For e.g., My sister is so gullible that she would believe anything. This word does not match with the sentence given in the question. Thus, this option is wrong.
Option (B) Anonymous – This word refers to someone whose name is unknown. For e.g. I received an anonymous gift on my birthday. This meaning matches with the question, and hence it is the correct option.
Option (C) Unanimous – It is an ‘opinion, decision or vote which is carried out by everyone who is involved. For e.g. The committee could not make a unanimous vote on this matter. This word has a very different meaning and hence, is the wrong option.
Option (D) Vexation – It is a state of being annoyed or frustrated. For e.g., My brother is the main cause of my vexation. This option is incorrect as it has a completely different meaning from the statement given in the question.

Thus, the correct answer is Option (B) Anonymous.

Note: Some synonyms of anonymous are; unnamed, nameless, incognito, unassigned, uncredited etc. Some antonyms are; known, identified, signed etc.
Sometimes the name of the author of a poem is not known. Then we use the word ‘anonymous’ at the end of the poem. Sometimes, a poet might not want to reveal his/her identity but would want to reserve the credits of the poem. In that case the poet uses a fictional name. This name is called a ‘pseudonym’.