he
UK[hiː]US[hiː]
pron
Used to refer to a man, boy, or male animal previously mentioned or easily identified.
pron
Used to refer to a person or animal whose sex is not specified or is considered irrelevant (in formal or old-fashioned use).
Etymology
The pronoun 'he' originates from the Old English 'hē', which is derived from the Proto-Germanic hiz, meaning 'this, this one'. This Proto-Germanic form can be traced further back to the Proto-Indo-European root ḱe-, ḱey- ('this, here'), which also gave rise to demonstrative pronouns and adverbs in other Indo-European languages. The word's journey reflects a common linguistic pattern where a demonstrative ('this one') evolves into a third-person personal pronoun. Over time, its meaning narrowed specifically to denote a male referent in the standard modern usage, while its original gender-neutral application persists in certain formal or archaic contexts.
Analysis
The word 'he' is a simplex pronoun of Old English origin. It functions as a personal pronoun in the nominative case.
Examples
He is the manager of the local bank.
Everyone should do what he thinks is best.
He who hesitates is lost.