nounself pronoun

noun

A type of third-person singular neopronoun constructed (often as an in-group identifier or nonce word) from a referent noun.

Meanings

nounnounself pronoun (plural nounself pronouns)

plural nounself pronouns · alternative noun-self pronoun

  1. human sciencesA type of third-person singular neopronoun constructed (often as an in-group identifier or nonce word) from a referent noun.

    Nounself pronouns are when you adapt a noun of your choosing into a pronoun to create a wide variety of very personal and descriptive pronouns.

    2021, Erin Ekins, Queerly Autistic The Ultimate Guide For LGBTQIA+ Teens On The Spectrum, page 105
    2 more examples

    According to [Judith] Butler, identity is tied to gender, and we perceive each other through the lens of gender (1999:22). This makes the gender binary with only its two choices very limiting. Nounself pronouns can be seen as an attempt to break free from this.

    2016, Ehm Hjorth Miltersen, “Nounself pronouns: 3rd person personal pronouns as identity expression”, in Journal of Language Works, volume 1, number 1, page 48

    This suggests that neopronouns in general and nounself pronouns in particular are used to express something very individual about the selector.

    2022, Katrina Callaway, "From Ey to Ze: Gender-Neutral Pronouns as Pronominal Change", dissertation submitted the University of Georgia, page 67

Origin

Cite this entry
APA

nounself pronoun. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nounself%20pronoun

MLA

“nounself pronoun.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nounself%20pronoun. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nounself pronoun,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nounself%20pronoun.

Source: nounself pronoun on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.