What does their mean?
Their is one of English's most useful possessive forms, expressing connection or belonging without identifying ownership as the only possible relationship. It may introduce a noun, as in “their journey,” or function independently as a possessive pronoun, as in “the decision was theirs.” Its most familiar use refers to a group: the children returned to their school, and the committee published its findings. Contemporary English also uses their with the singular pronoun they, allowing a person's preferences, experiences, or possessions to be discussed without specifying gender: “The customer asked whether the service met their needs.” This use is firmly established rather than exceptional. Although their closely resembles there in speech, the words have entirely different grammatical roles. Their derives from the older English system of plural possessives and remains a flexible, neutral term suited to formal and informal contexts alike.
Used before a noun to indicate that the person or thing referred to belongs to, is associated with, or is experienced by two or more people or things, or by one person referred to as they.
"The visitors left their bags with the hotel concierge."
When it refers to one person through the pronoun they, their remains a determiner before a noun: “The scientist shared their findings.”
Used without a following noun to indicate that something belongs to, is associated with, or is the responsibility of two or more people or things, or of one person referred to as they.
"Their proposal won; ours did not."
The independent possessive form is normally theirs; their by itself is less common but is standard when it modifies an understood noun.
Their is one of English's quiet workhorses: it can point to a whole group—or to one gender-neutral person.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does their come from?
Their developed in Middle English from Old English hira and hiere, possessive forms associated with the pronoun hīe, meaning “they.” Its modern form was influenced by them, with which it belongs to the older Germanic plural-pronoun system. The related forms they and them preserve corresponding plural-pronoun functions, while thy and thee represent older English possessives.
Related word forms
How their is actually used
Their normally precedes a noun, as in “their home,” whereas theirs normally stands alone, as in “the house is theirs.” In the singular, their is widely used with the pronoun they for people whose gender is unknown, irrelevant, or deliberately not specified.
Easily confused with their
Their indicates possession or association, whereas there identifies a place, situation, or the existence of something.
Their is a possessive form, while they're is the contraction of they are.