A word used to refer to a thing, animal, idea, situation, or sometimes a baby when the gender is unknown or not important. It can also be used as a placeholder subject in sentences like “It is raining.”
From Old English “hit,” a neuter pronoun meaning “it,” related to other Germanic pronouns like German “es.” Over time, the initial “h” was dropped in most uses, leaving the short form “it.” Despite its size, it has stayed central in English grammar for over a thousand years.
The tiny word “it” quietly does huge grammar work: it can stand in for almost anything, even for nothing at all in “It seems that…” or “It is raining.” That fake, empty “it” is called a dummy pronoun, but without it English sentences feel broken. Many other languages just say “Is raining,” but English insists on giving the rain a little stand-in actor.
The pronoun 'it' has sometimes been used dehumanizingly for women, infants, or marginalized people, erasing their personhood. This misuse reflects broader patterns of objectification and denial of agency.
Never use 'it' for a person; use their stated pronouns or neutral options like 'they' if unknown. 'It' is appropriate for objects, abstract concepts, and for non-sentient systems like current AI models.
["they","this person","the individual"]
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