third person

American  

[thurd pur-suhn] / ˈθɜrd ˈpɜr sən /

noun

1. the grammatical person used by the speaker of an utterance in referring to anyone or anything other than the speaker or the one third person singular or ones third person plural being addressed.

2. a pronoun or verb form in the third person, as she or goes in English, or a set of such forms.

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third person British  

noun

1. a grammatical category of pronouns and verbs used when referring to objects or individuals other than the speaker or his addressee(s)

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Etymology

Origin of third person

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

The third person refers to an aide who allegedly crafted pro-Qatar messages that the other two assistants then disseminated.

From Barron's

A third person was hospitalized in critical condition at a trauma center, according to Dowd.

From Los Angeles Times

Midway through the book, for no apparent reason, Ms. Doucet starts referring to herself in the third person.

From The Wall Street Journal

The BBC understands the man was initially detained on 6 August and was removed on 19 September, becoming the third person to be sent to France under the scheme.

From BBC

Occasionally the movie does offer up a pleasing little nugget about the creative process, as when Springsteen changes a lyric from the third person to the first: There is glory in such little adjustments.

From The Wall Street Journal