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Added 9 October 2026

some

/sʌm/ pronoun

In Latin: quidam Wiktionary

pronoun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about some at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A certain number (multiple but not all).
Some enjoy spicy food, others prefer it milder.
An indefinite quantity.
Can I have some of them?
An indefinite amount; a part. Used mostly with abstract and nonliving objects.
Please give me some of the cake.

determiner

A nonzero, unspecified proportion of (a bounded set of countable things): at least two.
Some people like camping.
A nonzero, unspecified quantity or number of (an unbounded set of countable things).
Would you like some grapes?
An unspecified amount of (something uncountable).
Would you like some water?

adverb

Of a measurement: approximately, roughly.
I guess he must have weighed some 90 kilos.
To a certain extent, or for a certain period.
Somewhat, a little.

Origin

From Middle English som, sum, from Old English sum (“some, a certain one”), from Proto-West Germanic *sum, from Proto-Germanic *sumaz (“some, a certain one”), from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one, whole”). Cognate Scots sum, some (“some”), North Frisian som, sam, säm (“some”), West Frisian sommige, somlike (“some”), dialectal Dutch som, saom (“some”), standard Dutch sommige (“some”), Low German somige (“some”), German dialectal summige (“some”), Danish somme (“some”), Swedish somlig (“some”), Norwegian sum, som (“some”), Icelandic sumur (“some”), Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌼𐍃 (sums, “one, someone”). More at same.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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