His/her Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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his/her

[hɪz/ /hər ]

Definition

^{Context #1 | Pronoun}

possessive pronoun

Used to refer to a person or animal of unspecified sex. It is commonly used when the sex of the person is unknown or when it is not necessary to specify the gender.

Examples of usage

His bag is on the table.
She told me about her trip.
I don't know if it's his or hers.
It could be his or hers, I'm not sure.
I saw someone walking their dog, but I couldn't tell if it was his or hers.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'his/her'

The word 'his' is of Old English origin, derived from the possessive form of 'he'. The word 'her' also has Old English roots, coming from the word 'hire' which meant 'belonging to her'. Over time, these pronouns have evolved to become commonly used in modern English.