item

American  

[ahy-tuhm, ahy-tem] / ˈaɪ təm, ˈaɪ tɛm /

noun

• items
  plural

1. a separate article or particular.

   50 items on the list.

   Synonyms:

   entry, heading, thing

2. a separate piece of information or news, as a short piece in a newspaper or broadcast.

3. Slang. something suitable for a news paragraph or as a topic of gossip, especially something that is sensational or scandalous.

   The bandleader and the new female singer are an item.

4. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter I.

5. an admonition or warning.

6. Older Use. an intimation or hint.

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adverb

1. also; likewise (used especially to introduce each article or statement in a list or series).

verb (used with object)

Archaic.

1. to set down or enter as an item, or by or in items.

2. to make a note of.

item British  

noun

1. a thing or unit, esp included in a list or collection

2. accounting an entry in an account

3. a piece of information, detail, or note

   a news item

4. informal two people having a romantic or sexual relationship

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verb

1. (tr) an archaic word for itemize

adverb

1. likewise; also

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subitem
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• items
  plural

Etymology

Origin of item

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English: “likewise” (adverb), “the same” (noun), from Latin: “likewise”

Explanation

An item is one thing, usually in a group or a list. At a restaurant, you might find yourself interested in a particular item on the menu (until you notice the price and decide to order a hamburger instead). Item is a Latin word meaning “likewise.” As early as the 15th century, this word was used in formal writing to introduce each point in a list (like a medieval version of the bullet point). The meaning of item has continued to evolve. Since the 1970s, it’s been used in casual speech to refer to a romantically involved couple: "Did you hear? Avery and Sam are an item!"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

item items

WRIGHT: We need to rebuild our menu and do so at the ingredient level, at the item level, at the menu-category level.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

A 2019 study by the University of Tasmania, published in Scientific Reports, found balloons were "the highest-risk plastic debris item" for seabirds, carrying a mortality risk 32 times higher than ingesting hard plastics.

From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026

“Someone is not trying to have a mass-produced item to tap and pay,” he told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026

Today, surviving examples are "exceptionally scarce", according to antique shop WeBuyVintage, which has valued the item at £2,500.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

Boaz reached into his pocket and pulled out the only item in it, the lighter.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

New rules limiting the number of items branded with a school logo to three per child come into force in September, aimed at helping ease the financial burden.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

On an adjusted basis that strips out certain items, Scotiabank reported earnings of C$2.28 a share, above the C$2.10 mean forecast of analysts polled by FactSet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

Excluding nonrecurring items, adjusted earnings per share dropped to $3.53 from $4.38 and missed the average analyst estimate compiled by FactSet of $3.76.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026

During its first term of operation, it saw more than 1,500 items reused across 24 schools.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

“Hops flower, valerian root, and chamomile. In addition to some other items that are a family secret,” Lafayette replies.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Related Words

• component
• element
• feature
• information
• piece
• thing