Phrase guide

generic they

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Synonym of generic you: the pronoun they, used to refer to an unspecified person, to multiple unspecified people, or to people in general.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: one, they, generic you

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Synonym of singular they: the pronoun they, used to refer to one single person without obligation to include their gender.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: they, ze, singular they

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.