DictionaryAI

his

HIZ/hɪz/

6 meanings of his

Practice

  1. 1
    determiner
    Belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned.

    He lost his wallet on the train.

    The boy raised his hand.

    UsageUse his when the owner is male: Tom and his sister.

    Note
  2. 2
    that of a manpronoun
    The thing or things that belong to him, with no noun after it.

    This pen is his.

    The choice was his to make.

    Note
  3. 3
    anyone'sdeterminerdated
    Used for any person, man or woman, in older or formal writing.

    Every student must bring his own pen.

    It is our conviction that piecemeal critiques of nontheisms will not suffice. The theist must enter the arena with a positive and comprehensive case of his own.
    2003, Norman L. Geisler, Winfried CorduanHere, his means his or her, about any person.

    UsageMany people now say his or her, or their, instead.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    man's homepronouncolloquial
    Where he lives, in casual speech, as in 'back to his'.

    We went back to his after the film.

    Are we eating at his or at mine?

    UsageUsed after words like at or to. In formal writing, say his place or his house.

    Note
  2. 5
    after a namedeterminerarchaic
    An old way of writing the possessive, as in 'Sejanus his fall'.

    The deed was signed 'John Smith his mark'. (old use)

    The old map is labeled 'the King his highway'. (old use)

    Note
  3. 6
    determinerobsolete
    An old use of 'his' to mean 'its', for a thing.
    Yee are the ſalt of the earth: But if the ſalt haue loſt his ſauour, wherewith ſhall it bee ſalted?
    1611, The Holy Bible, King James VersionHere, his means its, about a thing.
    My ſtomacke could not well reach ſo farre: it is very much troubled to come to an end of that which it takes for his neede.
    1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of Drunkennesse”Here, his means its, about the stomach.
    Note

Practice

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Origin

From Old English "his," meaning "his" or "its." It goes back to very old Germanic and Indo-European words meaning "this."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

  • English his derives from Old English his, which meant his or its. en.wiktionary.org
  • The word traces back to ancient Germanic and Indo-European demonstratives meaning this. en.wiktionary.org