anaphoric pronoun

noun phrase

Meaning

A pronoun that refers back to an antecedent previously mentioned in the same discourse.

Examples

In the sentence 'The cat groomed itself,' the word 'itself' functions as an anaphoric pronoun referring to the cat.
Students often struggle to identify the correct noun when an anaphoric pronoun is separated from its antecedent by several clauses.

Synonyms: pronoun, referent, pro-form, co-referent

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anaphoric pronoun

noun phrase

Pronunciation: ˌænəˈfɔːrɪk ˈproʊnaʊn

Definition

A pronoun that refers back to an antecedent previously mentioned in the same discourse.

Examples

In the sentence 'The cat groomed itself,' the word 'itself' functions as an anaphoric pronoun referring to the cat.
Students often struggle to identify the correct noun when an anaphoric pronoun is separated from its antecedent by several clauses.
Writers use anaphoric pronouns to maintain flow and avoid the repetitive naming of subjects.

Synonyms of anaphoric pronoun

Words with a similar meaning to anaphoric pronoun:

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