What does everyone mean?
"Everyone" is an indefinite pronoun meaning every person — all members of a group, or people in general. It is grammatically singular, taking a singular verb ("Everyone is welcome"), yet in modern English it commonly takes plural pronouns for naturalness ("Everyone brought their coats"), a usage now widely accepted even in formal writing. The word functions neutrally across registers, appearing equally in casual conversation and official announcements. It should be distinguished from the two-word phrase "every one," which refers to individual items rather than persons collectively and usually requires "of" ("every one of the tickets"). Common collocations include "everyone else," "almost everyone," and "not everyone." Derived from "every" plus "one," the word traces back through Old English roots meaning "ever" and "each." Compact and universally understood, "everyone" remains one of the most frequently used pronouns in spoken and written English.
pronounEvery person; all people in a group or in the world, considered individually or collectively.
- Every person; all people within a particular group or context.
- People in general; everybody in the world or in society at large.
"Everyone was delighted by the surprise announcement."
"Everyone at the meeting agreed on the new proposal."
"The festival draws everyone from local families to international visitors."
Though it names a crowd, 'everyone' takes singular verbs — so strictly speaking, 'everyone is here,' never 'everyone are here.'
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of everyone
"Everyone" arose in Middle English as a compound of "every" and "one," combining two native Germanic elements: "every" descends from Old English "ǣfre ǣlc" ("ever each"), which contracted into "everich" and then "every," while "one" comes from Old English "ān." As a fused compound, it has been established in English since the Middle English period and parallels similar formations such as "everyone's" relatives "everybody" and "anyone." Its closest structural cousins — "someone," "anyone," and "nobody" — share the same pattern of an indefinite element joined to a person-word.
How everyone is actually used
Grammatically singular ('everyone is'), though pronouns referring back to it are often plural in everyday usage ('Everyone brought their own lunch'); formally, 'his or her' was traditionally preferred. It is written as one word when it means 'everybody' — two words, 'every one', when individual items are meant. Neutral register, suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
Easily confused with everyone
'Everyone' is an indefinite pronoun meaning every person as a whole, while 'every one' is a determiner-plus-pronoun phrase referring to each individual item or person and is typically followed by 'of' (e.g., 'every one of the cookies').