They Meaning and Definition
They
Pronunciation
/ðəi/
Part of Speech
Pronoun
Definition
A pronoun referring to a plural or unspecified persons or things, used as the object of a verb or preposition.
Examples
- They went to the store.
- They are very happy.
Synonyms
- He
- She
- It
Antonyms
- I
- You
- He/She/It
Additional Information
They is a pronoun that is often used to refer to a group of people or things, and can also be used as a plural form of “he” or “she”. They is also commonly used in formal language, and is often used in formal writing and public speaking.
Etymology
The word “they” originated from the Old English word “þe” and the compound form “þe þe”, which referred to a group of people or things. Over time, the word evolved to its modern form and spelling.
Usage Notes
They is often used as a plural pronoun, but can also be used to refer to a singular entity, such as a company or a government. In informal language, they is often used in place of “him” or “her” to refer to a person.
Cultural References
They has been used in various songs, such as “They Might Be Giants” by the eponymous band, and in various books and films.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
They is often used in idiomatic expressions such as “they say” meaning “it is said”, or “they go” meaning “they depart”.
Related Words or Phrases
Affiliated words include “them”, which is the object form of “they”, and “themselves”, which is the reflexive form of “they”.
Collocations
They often collocates with verbs such as “are”, “be”, “do”, and “say”.
They is a very common word in modern language, and is widely used in formal and informal writing and speech.
Common Misspellings
Common misspellings include “the”, “hte”, and “thy”.