Somebody
ˈsʌmbədi
Definitions
An unspecified or unknown person.
ˈsʌmbədi
An unspecified person
Somebody is knocking at the door.
💡 Simply: Imagine you find a lost phone. You'd say, "Somebody left their phone here!" It means an unknown person.
👶 For kids: It means a person, but we don't know who.
More Examples
I think somebody is following us.
Somebody called for you, but they didn't leave a name.
How It's Used
"Somebody left their keys on the table."
"The novel began with the line, 'Somebody must have slandered Josef K...'"
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
somebody or other
An unspecified or unimportant person.
"I think somebody or other said something about it."
From Middle English *sum bodi*, equivalent to 'some' + 'body'. The word reflects an indefinite person or individual.
The word 'somebody' has been in use since the late 14th century, evolving from the earlier form 'sum bodi'.
Memory tip
Think of the 'some' prefix indicating an unspecified quantity of persons, referring to an indefinite individual.
Word Origin
"Derived from 'some' (an unspecified amount) and 'body' (referring to a person)."