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Meanings

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Thesaurus

Derived forms they-unstheyfriendwill-they-won't-they
Related forms heherherselfhersenhershernhimhimselfhisselfhissenhishishisnimeithititselfhitselfitshis

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tóy Proto-Germanic *þai Proto-Norse *ᚦᚨᛁᛉ (*þaiʀ) Old Norse þeirbor. Middle English þei English they From Middle English þei, borrowed in the 1200s from Old Norse þeir, plural of the demonstrativewhich acted as a plural pronoun. Displaced native Middle English he from Old English hīewhich vowel changes had left indistinct from he (“he”) — by the 1400s, being readily incorporated alongside native words beginning with the same sound (the, that, this). Used as a singular pronoun since 1300, e.g. in the 1325 Cursor Mundi. The Norse term (whence also Icela…

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