Pronoun

/ˈproʊnaʊn/

Meaning & Definition

noun
A pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun or noun phrase in a sentence.
In the sentence 'She loves reading,' 'she' is a pronoun that refers to a person.
Pronouns can indicate specific people or things, such as personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns, and relative pronouns.
In 'This is the book that I was talking about,' 'that' is a relative pronoun.
Pronouns can also function to show possession.
The word 'yours' in the phrase 'This is yours' is a possessive pronoun.

Etymology

From Latin 'pronomen', where 'pro' means 'for' and 'nomen' means 'name'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

personal pronoun
Refers to specific persons or things (he, she, it, etc.).
demonstrative pronoun
Points to specific things (this, that).
relative pronoun
Introduces relative clauses (who, which, that).

Related Words

antecedent
The noun a pronoun refers to.
reflexive pronoun
Refers back to the subject (myself, yourself).
possessive pronoun
Indicates ownership (mine, yours).

Slang Meanings

Used in gender discussions to indicate someone’s identity.
People might ask for your pronouns to respect your identity.
Slang shorthand for preferred gender pronouns.
My pronouns are she/her, so please use them.