they Meaning & Definition
What Does They Mean?
They is a pronoun that means A group of entities previously mentioned. It can also mean A single person, previously mentioned, whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or non-binary. One whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or both. As a determiner, it means The, those. As a verb, it means To refer to (someone, sometimes especially someone who does not use gender-neutral pronouns) using they/them pronouns.
Quick Facts About They
| Part of speech | pronoun, determiner, verb, noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈðeɪ̯// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Plural | theys |
| Verb forms | theys, theying, theyed |
They Definition (Pronoun)
- A group of entities previously mentioned.
Fred and Jane? They just arrived.
- A single person, previously mentioned, whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or non-binary.
One whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or both.
Somebody requested a seat at Friday's performance but didn't say if they preferred the balcony or the floor. [The gender is unknown and irrelevant.]
- One whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or both.
Somebody requested a seat at Friday's performance but didn't say if they preferred the balcony or the floor. [The gender is unknown and irrelevant.]
- One who is nonbinary.
There is no need to panic. Robin should be here soon and they will know what to do.
- People; some people; people in general; someone, excluding the speaker.
They say it’s a good place to live.
- The authorities, the (power) elites, the powers that be, the establishment, the man, the system: government, police, employers, etc.
They'll tax us for the air we breathe next.
- The opponents of the side which is keeping score.
They as a Determiner
- The, those.
- Their.
They as a Verb
- To refer to (someone, sometimes especially someone who does not use gender-neutral pronouns) using they/them pronouns.
I have a pin that says she/her, but I still get theyed all the time.
They as a Noun
- A non-binary person.
Pronoun
- There .
Pronoun
- (the third-person plural) A group of people, animals, plants or objects previously mentioned.
Dogs may bark if they want to be fed.
- (the third-person singular, sometimes proscribed) A single person, previously mentioned, especially if of unknown or non-binary gender, but typically not if previously named and identified as male or female.
They requested a seat at Friday's performance but didn't say if they preferred the balcony or the floor.
- (indefinite pronoun, vague meaning) People; some people; people in general; someone, excluding the speaker.
Ha, you believe the moon is real? That's just what they want you to think.
Pronoun
- There (especially as an expletive subject of be).
Synonyms of They
The source does not list synonyms for this entry.
They synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of They
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
They in a Sentence
Fred and Jane? They just arrived.
Dogs may bark if they want to be fed.
Plants wilt if they are not watered.
I have a car and a truck, but they are both broken.
Somebody requested a seat at Friday's performance but didn't say if they preferred the balcony or the floor. [The gender is unknown and irrelevant.]
I asked my friend if they wanted to come, but they said no. [The gender is known but irrelevant.]
One of the boys tripped over, and they hit their head on the door. [The gender is known but irrelevant; the particular subclass of usage in this example was seldom accepted before the 21st century, but its acceptance is increasing.]
There is no need to panic. Robin should be here soon and they will know what to do.
They say it’s a good place to live.
They didn’t have computers in the old days.
They built this city on rock and roll.
They don’t make them like they used to.
They'll tax us for the air we breathe next.
They should increase our wages.
Ha, you believe the moon is real? That's just what they want you to think.
I have a pin that says she/her, but I still get theyed all the time.
They requested a seat at Friday's performance but didn't say if they preferred the balcony or the floor.
Word Forms & Grammar
they (third-person, nominative case, usually plural, sometimes singular, objective case them, possessive their, possessive noun theirs, reflexive themselves, or reflexive singular themself)
they
they (third-person singular simple present theys, present participle theying, simple past and past participle theyed)
they (plural theys)
Words That Rhyme With They
Origin of They
Origin 1: From Middle English þei, borrowed in the 1200s from Old Norse þeir,[1] plural of the demonstrative sá which acted as a plural pronoun. Displaced native Middle English he from Old English hīe — which vowel changes had left indistinct from he (“he”) — by the 1400s,[1][2][3] being readily incorporated alongside native words beginning with the same sound (the, that, this). Used as a singular pronoun since 1300,[1] e.g. in the 1325 Cursor Mundi.
Origin 2: The Norse term (whence also Icelandic þeir (“they”), Faroese teir (“they”), Danish de (“they”), Swedish de (“they”), Norwegian Nynorsk dei (“they”)) is from Proto-Germanic *þai (“those”) (from Proto-Indo-European *to- (“that”)), whence also Old English þā (“those”) (whence obsolete English tho), Scots thae, thai, thay (“they; those”), Swabian dia (“they”).
Origin 3: The origin of the determiner they (“the, those”) is unclear. The OED, English Dialect Dictionary and Middle English Dictionary[4] define it and its Middle English predecessor thei as a demonstrative determiner or adjective meaning “those” or “the”. This could be a continuation of the use of the English pronoun they's Old Norse etymon þeir as a demonstrative meaning “those”, but the OED and EDD say it is limited to southern, especially southwestern, England, specifically outside the region of Norse contact.
Origin 4: From earlier the'e, from there.
Pronouncing They
The standard pronunciation of they is //ˈðeɪ̯//, spoken in 1 syllable.
Frequently Asked Questions About They
Is they a pronoun or a determiner?
They is mainly used as a pronoun, but it can also be used as a determiner, a verb and a noun.
What is the plural of they?
The plural of they is theys.
What is the past tense of they?
The past tense of they is theyed. The present participle is theying.