their Meaning, Definition & Usage

Their pronoun & adjective

Etymology

OE. thair, fr. Icel. Þeirra, Þeira, of them, but properly gen. pl. of the definite article; akin to AS. thara, thæra, gen. pl. of the definite article, or fr. AS. thæra, influenced by the Scandinavian use. See That.

Definitions

1. The possessive case of the personal pronoun they; as, their houses; their country. ✍ The possessive takes the form theirs () when the noun to which it refers is not expressed, but implied or understood; as, our land is richest, but theirs is best cultivated.

   Nothing but the name of zeal appears 'Twixt our best actions and the worst of theirs. Denham.