it

1 of 4

pronoun

ˈit 

ət

1

: that one

—used as subject or direct object or indirect object of a verb or object of a preposition usually in reference to a lifeless thing

took a quick look at the house and noticed it was very old

, a plant

there is a rosebush near the fence and it is now blooming

, a person or animal whose sex is unknown or disregarded

don't know who it is

, a group of individuals or things, or an abstract entity

beauty is everywhere and it is a source of joy

compare he, its, she, they

2

—used as subject of an impersonal verb that expresses a condition or action without reference to an agent

it is raining

3

a

—used as anticipatory subject or object of a verb

it is necessary to repeat the whole thing

—often used to shift emphasis to a part of a statement other than the subject

it was in this city that the treaty was signed

b

—used with many verbs as a direct object with little or no meaning

footed it back to camp

4

—used to refer to an explicit or implicit state of affairs or circumstances

how is it going

5

: a crucial or climactic point

this is it

it

2 of 4

noun

ˈit 

: the player in a game who performs the principal action of the game (such as trying to find others in hide-and-seek)

It

3 of 4

abbreviation (1)

Italian; Italy

IT

4 of 4

abbreviation (2)

information technology

Word History

Etymology

Pronoun

Middle English, from Old English hit — more at he

First Known Use

Pronoun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1842, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

it

1 of 2 pronoun

(ˈ)it 

ət

1

: that one

—used usually to refer to a lifeless thing

caught the ball and threw it back

, a living thing whose sex is unknown or disregarded

don't know who it is

, a group, or an abstract entity

2

—used as subject of a verb that expresses a condition or action without a doer

it is raining

3

a

—used in the usual place of a noun, phrase, or clause not in its ordinary place

it is necessary to repeat the whole thing

it was here that I lost my way

b

—used as a direct object with little or no meaning

footed it back to camp

4

: the general state of affairs

how is it going

it

2 of 2 noun

ˈit 

: the player in a game (as tag) who has to catch the others