ENGLISH
REFERENCE

noun

n. countable
A2 Elementary US //ˈnaʊn// UK //nˈaʊn// noun Archaic

n. a part of speech that names a person, place, thing, or idea. Examples include everyday words like "dog", "city", and "happiness".

n. a lexical category whose members typically function as the head of a noun phrase, serving as the subject or object of a clause. It designates persons, places, things, states, or abstract concepts.


SIMPLE

The words "apple" and "car" are common nouns.

CONTEXTUAL

When learning a new language, students often memorize lists of basic nouns before moving on to complex verbs.

COMPLEX

In English grammar, a noun can function not only as a subject or direct object, but also as an appositive that renames another noun right beside it.

Origin

From Middle English noun, from Anglo-Norman noun, non, nom, from Latin nōmen (“name; noun”). The grammatical sense in Latin was a semantic loan from Koine Greek ὄνομα (ónoma). Doublet of name and nomen.

Usage

Typically modified by adjectives and introduced by determiners or articles.

© 2026 English Reference