Meaning & use
item
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Meanings
nouncountable
One separate object, article, or entry in a list, group, or collection.
Grammar: Regular countable noun: one item, several items.
Patterns
- an item on a list
- item by item
- price of an item
There are twelve items on the shopping list.
Please label each item before storage.
We checked the report item by item.
nounusually singularinformal
Two people who are romantically involved as a couple.
Grammar: Mostly in the fixed phrase an item.
Patterns
- be an item
They have been an item since college.
Everyone knew the two singers were an item.
Are they officially an item now?
Word forms
| plural | items |
|---|
Common combinations
- item on the agenda
- The budget is the first item on the agenda.
- collectible item
- The rare stamp is a valuable collectible item.
- item by item
- We reviewed the contract item by item.
- news item
- A short news item mentioned the library opening.
- be an item
- The coworkers were rumored to be an item.
Synonyms and how they differ
Commonly confused: item or issue? item or detail?
item vs issue
Issue means a problem or edition/topic; item means one listed thing or, informally, a couple.
item vs detail
A detail is a small fact or part, not a separate object on a list.
Practice
In informal speech, “They’re an item” means ____.
Choose one answer.
The fixed informal phrase be an item means two people are a couple. The other choices treat item only as a list entry and miss the informal relationship sense.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “item”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.