What does theirs mean?
“Theirs” is a possessive pronoun meaning that something belongs to a group of people already identified as “them.” It is especially useful when the thing possessed does not need to be repeated: “The book is theirs” identifies ownership without naming the book. The word can also occur after “of,” in expressions such as “a colleague of theirs,” where it refers back to people mentioned earlier. Although “theirs” contains the same underlying element as “their,” the two words have different grammatical roles. “Their” is a possessive determiner and normally appears before a noun, while “theirs” stands alone or serves as a noun phrase. In formal contexts, it may carry a slightly detached or emphatic tone, as in “the responsibility is theirs,” but it is otherwise neutral and widely used in everyday British and American English.
possessive pronounA possessive pronoun used to indicate that something belongs to them, especially when the relevant noun is understood or has already been mentioned. It can stand alone or be used after “of,” as in “a friend of theirs.”
- Belonging to them; being the possession of them.
"The blue house is theirs, although the garden belongs to the neighbors."
"The decision was theirs to make, and they made it carefully."
"After the merger, the company remained largely theirs, with only its branding changing."
“Theirs” is the possessive pronoun that can stand on its own, without a noun tucked in front of it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of theirs
“Theirs” developed as a Middle English possessive form based on the possessive determiner “their,” with the suffix -s marking possession. Its roots lie in the Old English third-person plural pronoun forms that also produced “they,” “them,” and “their.” The distinction between “their” and “theirs” is grammatical rather than lexical: “their” precedes a noun, whereas “theirs” stands alone or appears after “of.”
How theirs is actually used
Neutral in register and common in both British and American English. “Theirs” is used for possession and can function independently, unlike “their,” which must modify a following noun.
Easily confused with theirs
“Their” is a possessive determiner that comes before a noun, as in “their house,” while “theirs” stands alone or follows “of,” as in “the house is theirs.”