person
gb/pˈɚsən/ us/pˈɚsən/
A1
English
~ 400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
A single human being
One human being.
Usage pattern:
[a/an/the] person
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'person' with 'people'. 'Person' is singular; 'people' is plural.
Synonyms
individual (More formal; emphasizes separateness from others.)
|
human (Refers to the species; less personal than 'person'.)
Antonyms
animal (Non-human living creature.)
|
thing (Non-living object.)
Collocations
young person
|famous person
|kind person
|missing person
|person in charge
Themes
daily life
|society
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Only one person showed up for the meeting.
- She’s the kind of person who always helps others.
- The police are looking for a missing person.
- He’s the right person for this job.
- Each person must sign the form.
Learner examples
- I see one person in the room.
- She is a nice person.
- That person is my teacher.
- A person is walking outside.
Noun
technical
B1
entity
2
Character in a story or play
A character in a book, play, or movie.
Usage pattern:
[a/an/the] person in [a story/play]
Synonyms
character (Most common term; 'person' is less frequent in this sense.)
Collocations
main person
|fictional person
|person in the novel
Themes
arts
|literature
|arts_entertainment
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The main person in the novel is a young detective.
- Each person in the play has a unique backstory.
- That person is based on a real historical figure.
Learner examples
- The story has one bad person.
- He is the main person in the movie.
- I like the happy person in the book.
Noun
technical
B2
relation
3
Grammatical category of pronouns/verbs
In grammar, shows if we talk about ourselves, the listener, or other people.
Collocations
first person
|second person
|third person
Themes
language
|education
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- In English, verbs change form depending on the person of the subject.
- The sentence is written in the first person.
- 'You' is a second-person pronoun.
Learner examples
- I is first person.
- You is second person.
- He is third person.
Grammar
Dictionary form
person
IPA
GB/pˈɚsən/
US/pˈɚsən/
Syllables & stress
per - son (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (per)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: person
- Plural: person, persons
Word family
Forms
persons
noun
Core family
Related words
personalize
verb B2
personnel
noun B1
Negative and opposite forms
impersonal
adjective B2
Advanced or less common
Expressions
first person
1/fˈɚst pˈɚsən/
fixed phrase
technical
Grammar: refers to speaker/self or group including self
'I' and 'we' are first-person words.
Examples
- The story is told in the first person.
- 'I' is a first-person pronoun.
in person
1/ˈɪn pˈɚsən/
fixed phrase
Physically present somewhere
To be at a place yourself, not by phone or online.
Examples
- You must apply for the job in person.
- I finally met her in person after months of emails.
second person
1/sˈɛkənd pˈɚsən/
fixed phrase
technical
Grammar: refers to listener(s) addressed directly
'You' is a second-person word.
Examples
- Instructions are often written in the second person.
- 'You' is a second-person pronoun.
the right person for the job
1/ðə ɹˈaɪt pˈɚsən fɚ ðə d͡ʒˈɑb/
fixed phrase
Most suitable individual for a task
The best human to do a certain job.
Examples
- He’s definitely the right person for the job.
- We need to find the right person for this position.
third person
1/θˈɚd pˈɚsən/
fixed phrase
technical
Grammar: refers to others than speaker/listener
'He', 'she', and 'they' are third-person words.
Examples
- This novel is written in the third person.
- 'They' is a third-person pronoun.