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THEY
Etymology 1
Pronoun
they third-person, nominative case, usually plural, sometimes singular (objective case them, possessive their, possessive noun theirs, reflexive themselves, or, singular, themself)
(the third-person plural) A group of people, animals, plants, or objects previously mentioned. [since the 1200s]
(the third-person singular, sometimes, proscribed) A single person, previously mentioned, especially if of unknown or non-binary gender, but not if previously named and identified as male or female. [since the 1300s]
(indefinite pronoun, vague meaning) People; some people; people in general; someone, excluding the speaker.
Usage notes
• (singular pronoun): Usage of they as a singular pronoun began in the 1300s and has been common ever since, despite attempts by some grammarians, beginning in 1795, to condemn it as a violation of traditional (Latinate) agreement rules. Some other grammarians have countered that criticism since at least 1896. Fowler's Modern English Usage (third edition) notes that it "is being left unaltered by copy editors" and is "not widely felt to lie in a prohibited zone." Some authors compare use of singular they to widespread use of singular you instead of thou. See Wikipedia's article on singular they for more; see also the usage notes about themself. (Compare he.)
• (singular pronoun): Even when used as a singular pronoun, verb conjugations for singular they is the same as for plural they.
• (singular pronoun): Infrequently, they is used of an individual person of known, binary gender. See citations.
• (singular pronoun): Infrequently, they is used of an individual animal which would more commonly be referred to as it. See citations.
• (indefinite pronoun): One is also an indefinite pronoun, but the two words do not mean the same thing and are rarely interchangeable. "They" refers to people in general, whereas "one" refers to one person (often such that what is true for that person is true for everyone). "You" may also be used to refer to people in general.
Determiner
they
(now, Southern England dialect or nonstandard) The, those. [from 14th c.]
(US dialects, including, African-American Vernacular) Their. [from 19th c.]
Etymology 2
Pronoun
they
(US dialectal) There (especially as an expletive subject of be). [from 19th c.]
Anagrams
• hyte, ythe
Source: Wiktionary
They, pron. pl.; poss. Theirs; obj. Them. Etym: [Icel. þeir they, properly nom. pl. masc. of sa, su, þat, a demonstrative pronoun, akin to the English definite article, AS. se, seó, edhæt, nom. pl. edha. See That.]
Definition: 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.
Note: 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.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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