Pseudonoun

Pseudonoun is a term used in some linguistic analyses to describe a word or expression that functions as a noun in syntax but is not a conventional lexical noun in semantics. The notion is not universally standardized and appears mainly in discussions of how adjectives or other non-noun items can occupy noun-like positions within noun phrases.

Commonly cited examples include substantivized adjectives such as the rich, the poor, the elderly, and the homeless. In these cases an adjective or participial form is used as a nominal, often referring to a social group rather than to a single entity. Pseudonouns can occur with determiners and number marking in some languages, enabling phrases like the rich or the elderly to participate in typical noun-phrase syntax, including plural agreement or definite articles.

Differences from true nouns are usually semantic rather than purely syntactic. Pseudonouns often name groups or classes rather than refer to specific individuals, and their referential scope can be generic or context-dependent. They may also arise in fixed expressions or in languages with rich nominalization processes, where adjectives or other forms are regularly treated as nouns in discourse.

In linguistic analysis, pseudonouns are often described as substantives or as adjectives used substantively. The label highlights a functional similarity to nouns while acknowledging a lack of typical noun semantics. The term remains a descriptive, rather than a universally accepted, category, and alternatives such as nominalized adjectives or substantive usage are frequently preferred in formal grammars.

See also: noun phrase, substantive usage, nominalization, adjective used as a noun.