noun
B1
Intermediate
pronoun
PROH-nown
Pronoun (noun) means a word used in place of a noun, such as I, you, she, it, they, this or who, so you do not have to repeat the name. Example: “In "Ella lost her keys", "her" is a pronoun.”
noun
1
A word used in place of a noun, such as I, you, she, it, they, this or who, so you do not have to repeat the name.
"In "Ella lost her keys", "her" is a pronoun."
"Replace the repeated name with a pronoun to make the sentence flow."
2
The set of personal pronouns a person uses for themselves, such as she/her, he/him or they/them, often stated so that others address them correctly.
"My pronouns are they/them."
"The name badges had space for pronouns."
How to use pronoun
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA short word like he, she, it or they that stands in for a name.
When to use it
Neutral grammatical term. The second sense is standard in workplaces, universities and online profiles.
Memory tip
A pronoun must agree with the noun it replaces in number and, where relevant, gender: the noun it stands for is its antecedent.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
pronoun vs noun
pronoun vs antecedent
Common pairings
personal pronoun
relative pronoun
possessive pronoun
share your pronouns
pronoun agreement
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Word forms
- Plural
- pronouns
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
In "Ella lost her keys", "her" is a _____.
Etymology
From Latin pronomen, from pro "in place of" + nomen "name", modelled on the Greek grammatical term.
Rhymes for pronoun
See all rhymes for pronoun →Frequently asked questions
What are the types of pronouns?
The main types are personal (I, she, them), possessive (mine, hers), reflexive (myself, themselves), demonstrative (this, those), relative (who, which, that), interrogative (who, what) and indefinite (someone, anything).
Is "they" correct for one person?
Yes. Singular they has been used for an unspecified individual since Middle English and is accepted by every major style guide, including for a named person who uses they/them.
What is the difference between a noun and a pronoun?
A noun names a person, place or thing directly; a pronoun stands in for a noun already known from context. "Maria" is a noun, "she" is the pronoun that replaces it.
What is the meaning of pronoun?
"pronoun" (noun) means a word used in place of a noun, such as I, you, she, it, they, this or who, so you do not have to repeat the name.
