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

A third person, a German woman, died May 2, and a British man was medically evacuated on April 27 to South Africa, where he also tested positive for hantavirus.

From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026

Terrifyingly, he refers to “humans” in the third person, as if he no longer considers himself one of our species.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

The facility struck was a large trailer with walls protected by concrete slabs, but wasn’t fortified from the top, according to a third person briefed on the attack.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

A third person was on a US K-1 visa - for fiancées of American citizens - the US official said.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

For, even from a distance, she knew who the third person was.

From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin