relative pronoun
noun
one of the pronouns who, whom, which, what, their compounds with -ever or -soever, or that used as the subordinating word to introduce a subordinate clause, especially such a pronoun referring to an antecedent.
Origin of relative pronoun
1First recorded in 1520–30
confusables note For relative pronoun
See who.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use relative pronoun in a sentence
Frequently there is no connecting word, a relative pronoun being understood.
An English Grammar | W. M. Baskervill and J. W. SewellThe general rule is, that the relative pronoun agrees with its antecedent in person and number.
An English Grammar | W. M. Baskervill and J. W. SewellRelative Clause—A clause joined to the rest of the sentence by a relative pronoun.
Punctuation | Frederick W. HamiltonA connecting pronoun referring to something which precedes (or follows) is called a relative pronoun.
A Complete Grammar of Esperanto | Ivy Kellerman ReedThis is often true when it is used with an interrogative or relative pronoun.
Plain English | Marian Wharton
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