his

1 of 2

adjective

(h)iz,
ˌhiz How to pronounce his (audio)
: of or relating to him or himself especially as possessor, agent, or object of an action
his house
his writings
his confirmation
compare he entry 1

his

2 of 2

pronoun

singular or plural in construction
: that which belongs to him
used without a following noun as a pronoun equivalent in meaning to the adjective his

Examples of his in a Sentence

Adjective He bought his own house. His house is out in the country. He sat quietly at his desk. I would like to read some of his essays. He was jailed for three years for his crime. It's his turn to play.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English, genitive of he

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Pronoun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of his was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near his

Cite this Entry

“His.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/his. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

his

1 of 2 adjective
(h)iz How to pronounce his (audio)
ˌhiz
: of, relating to, or belonging to him or himself
his house
his writings

his

2 of 2 pronoun
: his one : his ones
the book is his

Medical Definition

His

abbreviation
histidine; histidyl

More from Merriam-Webster on his

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!