pronoun

Where does the word "pronoun" come from? It comes from Latin nomen, passing through Latin before entering English (1500s).

Pronoun’s story begins in Latin: nomen meant “name.” Name, combined with pro- (in place of). Within Latin, it grew into pronomen by ancient. A word used in place of a noun, from pro- and nomen. It reached English by 1500s as pronoun. Settled as the English word for a word that substitutes for a noun. Today, pronoun means a word used in place of a noun, such as he, she, or it.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient nomen "name", name, combined with pro- (in place of).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient pronomen "a word used in place of a noun", a word used in place of a noun, from pro- and nomen.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s pronoun "a word that substitutes for a noun", settled as the English word for a word that substitutes for a noun.