- The first part of the compound, Q, is a name for either a single or group of individuals who post cryptic messages in an online message board. Anon is a shortened or clipped version of anonymous, which is often used as a pseudonym online.
Qanon
noun Compounding and clipping.
A right-wing conspiracy theory that believes there is a cabal of satanist, pedophile, cannibals including many American Democratic party members and other powerful figureheads such as the Pope.
Etymology : From the pseudonym “Q” and the word anonymous.
Source : “If you’re spending a lot of time online these days — and thanks to the pandemic, many of us are — you’ve probably heard of QAnon, the sprawling internet conspiracy theory that has taken hold among some of President Trump’s supporters” (New York Times, 10-19-2020).
Last modified: 26 November 2020