John Doe

Meaning

The idiom "John Doe" is used to refer to an unknown person or someone whose identity is not known. It can be used to describe someone who is a stranger, a random person, or someone who is unidentified in a situation.

Usage

• The police were unable to identify the perpetrator of the crime and had no leads.
• I saw a man on the street who looked like John Doe, but I couldn't be sure if it was him.
• The witness only knew the suspect as John Doe and could not provide any further information.
• When we arrived at the hospital, the patient had no identification on them other than "John Doe."
• We were unable to find any information about the missing person, including their name or any identifying details.

Roots and History

The idiom "John Doe" is believed to have originated in the United States in the 1800s. It was commonly used in legal documents and official records as a placeholder for an individual's name when they could not be identified or their identity was unknown. Over time, the idiom became associated with someone who was anonymous or unidentified in general.

Synonyms in English

• anonymous person
• stranger
• unidentified person
• unknown individual
• faceless person

Synonyms in other languages

• Español: Persona anónima
• Français: Personne inconnue
• Deutsch: Unbekannte Person
• Italiano: Persone sconosciute
• Portuguese: Pessoa desconhecida

Similar Idioms

• de facto

• jot or tittle

• jump to conclusions