Mark Twain
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The pseudonym of the American novelist and humorist, Samuel L. Clemens (1835-1910) who adopted it from the Mississippi river pilots' cry, Mark twain!" when taking soundings.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Mark Twain” mean?
The pseudonym of the American novelist and humorist, Samuel L. Clemens (1835-1910) who adopted it from the Mississippi river pilots' cry, Mark twain!" when taking soundings.
Is “Mark Twain” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.