adespota

Meanings

1. Literary works not attributed to (or claimed by) an author. (Originally used as a title of collections of anonymous Greek poetry.)

Etymology

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