proper noun

noun

plural proper nouns
: a noun (such as Seattle, Joyce, or Empire State Building) that designates a particular being or thing, does not take a limiting modifier, and is usually capitalized in English

called also proper name

I think I can safely say that no rational person is hubristic enough to type "Zbigniew Brzezinski" … without first checking the spelling of the name, but the number of less formidable-looking proper nouns that wind up misspelled in manuscripts … is vast.Benjamin Dreyer

Examples of proper noun in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Other proper nouns, like the Darkhold, can be safely tuned out. Alison Herman, Variety, 19 Sep. 2024 Kang inundates readers with proper nouns like the Radiant dynasty and Three Golden Dumplings (to say nothing of the inevitable purple cloud) that vaguely link different points on the timeline, but that have no ties to a social or material world. Stephen Kearse, Washington Post, 17 July 2024 These features can encompass anything from simple proper nouns like the Golden Gate Bridge to more abstract concepts like programming errors or the addition function in computer code and often represent the same concept across multiple languages and communication modes (e.g., text and images). Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 22 May 2024 Following her lead, the French encyclopedic dictionary Petit Larousse Illustré has added the musician’s name as a proper noun in its 2024 update. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for proper noun 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of proper noun was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near proper noun

Cite this Entry

“Proper noun.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proper%20noun. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

proper noun

noun
: a noun that names a particular person, place, or thing

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