relative pronoun

American  

noun

1. one of the pronouns who, whom, which, what, their compounds with -ever or -soever, or that used as the subordinating word to introduce a subordinate clause, especially such a pronoun referring to an antecedent.

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Commonly Confused

See who.

Etymology

Origin of relative pronoun

First recorded in 1520–30

Example Sentences

The English language adds more physical weight and hard sound, with the audibility of the relative pronoun, "that", and the predominance of masculine line-endings contributory factors.

From The Guardian • Feb. 11, 2013

But, as a relative pronoun, 18; with a negative, 42; with a dependent clause, 105; to introduce two succeeding statements, 105.

From Practical Grammar and Composition by Wood, Thomas

And should not be placed before a relative pronoun in such a position as to interfere with the construction.

From Word Study and English Grammar A Primer of Information about Words, Their Relations and Their Uses by Hamilton, Frederick W. (Frederick William)

Mr. Ayres makes a feature of the fact that Who and Which are properly the co-ordinating relative pronouns, and that That is properly the restrictive relative pronoun.

From English as She is Wrote Showing Curious Ways in which the English Language may be made to Convey Ideas or obscure them. by Anonymous

The relative pronoun is also uncertain in its references.

From English: Composition and Literature by Webster, W. F. (William Franklin)