his

¹

[ hiz; unstressed iz ]

pronoun

1. the possessive form of he ¹ (used as an attributive or predicative adjective):

   His coat is the brown one. This brown coat is his. Do you mind his speaking first?

2. that or those belonging to him:

   His was the cleverest remark of all. I borrowed a tie of his.

His

²

abbreviation for

, Biochemistry.

1. histidine.

his

/ ɪz; hɪz /

determiner

1. 1. of, belonging to, or associated with him

      his knee

      his own fault

      I don't like his being out so late

   2. as pronoun

      that book is his

      his is on the left

2. his and hers
   (of paired objects) for a man and woman respectively

pronoun

1. of his
   belonging to or associated with him

Gender Note

See he ¹, me.

Word History and Origins

Origin of his¹

before 900; Middle English, Old English, genitive of hē he ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of his¹

Old English his, genitive of hē he ¹and of hit it

Example Sentences

“You cannot pay a policeman practically nothing and expect him to do his job,” Salazar said.

From Los Angeles Times

He regularly accused his adversaries of exaggerating the scope of killings and other crimes.

From Los Angeles Times

But the relationship cooled in the final months of his presidency as the ambassador assailed plans to overhaul the judiciary that critics saw as a ruling-party power play.

From Los Angeles Times

His comments this week were his most critical assessment yet of Mexico’s approach to crime and drug trafficking.

From Los Angeles Times

Before he’d ever played the position, Jayden Maiava had a sense of what a Samoan quarterback could mean to his community.

From Los Angeles Times