they Meaning, Definition & Usage

They pronoun plural

Etymology

Icel. þeir they, properly nom. pl. masc. of sa, s&umac;, þat, a demonstrative pronoun, akin to the English definite article, AS. se, seó, &edh;æt, nom. pl. &edh;a. See That.

Wordforms

possessive Theirs; objective Them

Definitions

1. The plural of he, she, or it. They is never used adjectively, but always as a pronoun proper, and sometimes refers to persons without an antecedent expressed.

   Jolif and glad they went unto here [their] rest And casten hem [them] full early for to sail. Chaucer.

   They of Italy salute you. Heb. xiii. 24.

   Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness. Matt. v. 6.

   ✍ They is used indefinitely, as our ancestors used man, and as the French use on; as, they say (French on dit), that is, it is said by persons not specified.