proper noun
noun
plural proper nouns
: a noun (such as Seattle, Joyce, or Empire State Building) that designates a particular being or thing, does not take a limiting modifier, and is usually capitalized in English
called also proper name
I think I can safely say that no rational person is hubristic enough to type "Zbigniew Brzezinski" … without first checking the spelling of the name, but the number of less formidable-looking proper nouns that wind up misspelled in manuscripts … is vast.—
Benjamin Dreyer
Benjamin DreyerExamples of proper noun in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Other proper nouns, like the Darkhold, can be safely tuned out.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 19 Sep. 2024
Kang inundates readers with proper nouns like the Radiant dynasty and Three Golden Dumplings (to say nothing of the inevitable purple cloud) that vaguely link different points on the timeline, but that have no ties to a social or material world.
—Stephen Kearse, Washington Post, 17 July 2024
These features can encompass anything from simple proper nouns like the Golden Gate Bridge to more abstract concepts like programming errors or the addition function in computer code and often represent the same concept across multiple languages and communication modes (e.g., text and images).
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 22 May 2024
Following her lead, the French encyclopedic dictionary Petit Larousse Illustré has added the musician’s name as a proper noun in its 2024 update.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for proper noun 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alison Herman, Variety, 19 Sep. 2024
Kang inundates readers with proper nouns like the Radiant dynasty and Three Golden Dumplings (to say nothing of the inevitable purple cloud) that vaguely link different points on the timeline, but that have no ties to a social or material world.
—Stephen Kearse, Washington Post, 17 July 2024
These features can encompass anything from simple proper nouns like the Golden Gate Bridge to more abstract concepts like programming errors or the addition function in computer code and often represent the same concept across multiple languages and communication modes (e.g., text and images).
—Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 22 May 2024
Following her lead, the French encyclopedic dictionary Petit Larousse Illustré has added the musician’s name as a proper noun in its 2024 update.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for proper noun
Articles Related to proper noun
Dictionary Entries Near proper noun
Cite this Entry
“Proper noun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proper%20noun. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share