those

UK: ðəʊz | US: ðoʊz

Definition

  1. pron. plural form of "that," used to indicate specific people or things previously mentioned or easily identified.

Structure
tho <that>se <plural suffix>
Etymology

The word "those" evolved from Old English þās (plural of þæt), influenced by Germanic demonstrative pronouns. Over time, the spelling shifted to "those" in Middle English, retaining its function as the plural of "that." The morpheme "tho-" preserves the core demonstrative meaning, while "-se" marks plurality, reflecting a streamlined historical development.

Examples

  1. Those books belong to the library.

  2. I prefer these shoes over those.

  3. Are those your friends waiting outside?

  4. Those were the best days of my life.

  5. She pointed to those trees across the river.