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

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Etymology

Origin of item

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

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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

Have you ever wondered why the same item costs more or less depending on where in London you buy it?

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

The fee will apply to each type of item in a package sent directly to consumers from outside the EU, regardless of the parcel's value.

From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026

Counsel is drafting a legal brief, not an item for the front page of some tabloid publication.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

The former Board of Public Works member suggested that altering the five-member panel should have been its own item, saying, “The longer the paragraphs are, the fewer words the public will read.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

He watched as the sled was loaded, carefully calculated the weight of each item, and let his disapproval be known if it went too far.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

The airline group needs to deliver a fourth-quarter operating profit before exceptional items of 743 million euros to reach full-year consensus estimates, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Stripping out one-time items, earnings were $1.30 a share.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

Within a couple of months of her daughter’s death, Webber-Brown said her son-in-law asked her for assistance in sorting through McClellan’s clothes and other items in their home.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

Polish airline LOT said its flight from Warsaw to Brussels landed as planned, and "no suspicious items were found".

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

They’re exiles who go around stealing Remarkable items and artifacts.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas

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Related Words

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

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