It
/ɪt/noun
A pronoun used to refer to a thing previously mentioned or easily identified.
Did you know?The word 'it' has roots in Old English, where it was used to denote a neuter gender, reflecting a time when words were imbued with more mystical significance than mere objects.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*i̯d
“a pronoun form used to denote a specific object or entity.”
Old English
Old English
hit
“a neuter pronoun used for things, often carrying a sense of distance or otherness.”
Middle English
Middle English
it
“the continued use of a neuter pronoun, gaining versatility in reference to various objects.”
Modern English
English
it
“a fundamental pronoun that denotes inanimate objects or concepts, stripped of its earlier mystical connotations.”