Pronoun Meaning
/ˈpɹəʊ.naʊn/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA type of word that refers anaphorically to a noun or noun phrase, but which cannot ordinarily be preceded by a determiner and rarely takes an attributive adjective.
nounEllipsis of preferred pronoun, any of the third-person pronouns by which a person prefers to be referred to, typically reflecting their gender identity; often communicated as a subject–object pair.
Sentence Examples
Relative pronouns perform as 'conjunction + pronoun'.
However, the preposition+relative pronoun (which) part becomes a relative adverb (where).
The Portuguese pronoun "eu" came from Latin "ego".
CEFR Practice Quiz
In the sentence 'She gave him the book,' the word 'him' is an example of a ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In the sentence 'She gave him the book,' both 'she' and 'him' are examples of a ____.
Word Origin & History
From pro- + noun, modeled on Middle French pronom, from Latin pronomen, itself a calque of Ancient Greek ᾰ̓ντωνῠμῐ́ᾱ (ăntōnŭmĭ́ā).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The possessive conjunctive pronoun is always repeated before a substantive, and after a conjunction; as my brothers and sisters, mes frères & mes sœurs; […]"
— 1789, Jean Baptiste, A grammar of the French tongue, page 193:
"Dalia: Why are you playing the pronoun game?
Alyssa: What? What are you talking about? I'm not even.
Dalia: You are. "I met someone." "We have a great time. "They're from my home town." Doesn't this tube of wonderful have a name!"
— 1997, Kevin Smith, Chasing Amy:
"As here the possessive pronoun 'our' has inclusive reference in that it a priori includes both the editor and reader, its presence amounts to a kind of pronominal bonding between writer and reader."
— 2013, Nicholas Brownless, “Spoken Discourse in Early English Newspapers”, in Joad Raymond, editor, News Networks in Seventeenth Century Britain and Europe, page 72:
"The vast majority (82 percent) of the nonbinary trans students I interviewed used nonbinary pronouns for themselves, and all said that they were rarely given the opportunity to indicate their pronouns."
— 2019, Genny Beemyn, editor, Trans People in Higher Education, SUNY Press, →ISBN, page 178:
"Then an earnest elaboration: “It’s just nice that other people understand what I’m thinking. I don’t have to explain a million things. I don’t have to be like, Okay, I guess I’ll let you ignore my pronouns. It’s a very good space.”"
— 2023 August 31, Frankie de la Cretaz, “Postcard from Camp Gaylore”, in Cosmopolitan:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
In the sentence 'She gave him the book,' the word 'him' is an example of a ____.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
In the sentence 'She gave him the book,' both 'she' and 'him' are examples of a ____.