second person

American  

[sek-uhnd pur-suhn] / ˈsɛk ənd ˈpɜr sən /

noun

1. the grammatical person used by the speaker of an utterance in referring to the one second person singular or ones second person plural being spoken to.

2. a pronoun or verb form in the second person, as the pronoun you in English, or a set of such forms.

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second person British  

noun

1. a grammatical category of pronouns and verbs used when referring to or describing the individual or individuals being addressed

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Etymology

Origin of second person

First recorded in 1665–75

Example Sentences

He was accompanied by a second person, who took flight when officers arrived to arrest the pair.

From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026

A school pupil has been confirmed as the second person to have died following an outbreak of meningitis in Kent.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Page is only the second person to have ever lived in Banyan Ridge, which was built in 2008, six years after Lewis purchased the land for $1.8 million.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 14, 2026

A second person will step in if the AI and human reader disagree by more than two points on a 12-point scoring scale.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 2, 2026

“You’re going to help me with something. I see that look. Don’t worry—it’s just a project needs a second person, that’s all. But I’m not ready to tell you what it is yet.”

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker