English Reference
Noun

username

n.
A2 Elementary US /ˈjuzɝˌneɪm/ UK /jˈuːzənˌeɪm/ Security

n.the unique name you use to identify yourself when you log in to a computer system or website.

n.a unique sequence of characters used to identify a specific user during the authentication process on a computer system or network.


SIMPLE

Please enter your username and password to log in.

CONTEXTUAL

When you create a new account, the system checks if your chosen username is already taken by another person.

COMPLEX

For security reasons, the administrator recommends choosing a username that does not contain your real name or any easily identifiable personal information.

Usage

Often paired with 'password' in the context of digital security.


A compound formed from the noun user and the noun name. It emerged in the mid-twentieth century as a functional descriptor within early multi-user computing environments.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Updated