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indefinite pronoun

American

noun

Grammar.

a pronoun, as English some, any, somebody, that leaves unspecified the identity of its referent.

indefinite pronoun British

noun

grammar a pronoun having no specific referent, such as someone, anybody, or nothing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of indefinite pronoun

First recorded in 1720–30

Example Sentences

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See Examples For:

indefinite pronoun

In the sentence “Everybody has his own opinion,” the indefinite pronoun everybody needs a singular pronoun to refer to it.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 21, 2021

Is the subject an indefinite pronoun, such as everyone?

From Textbooks ● Dec. 21, 2021

Quotes attributed to Jefferson that use contractions and "you" as an indefinite pronoun are usually fishy to Anna Berkes, research librarian at the Jefferson Library at Monticello.

From Time ● Sep. 22, 2017

One, definite numeral adjective, 101. indefinite pronoun, 94. possessive of, 93 One another.

From An English Grammar by Sewell, James Witt

Note 2.—Many numerals, otherwise indeclinable, are used in the genitive plural with the indefinite pronoun sum, which then means one of a certain number.

From Anglo-Saxon Grammar and Exercise Book with Inflections, Syntax, Selections for Reading, and Glossary by Smith, C. Alphonso (Charles Alphonso)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023