everybody

Everybody is a pronoun in English that refers to all people. It is used to indicate the entire group of individuals in a given context, whether as the subject of a sentence, as in "Everybody is here," or as the object, as in "The announcement reached everybody." It carries a broad, inclusive sense and is common in everyday speech.

In terms of grammar, everybody is treated as a singular noun, and verbs typically take singular agreement: "Everybody loves a success story." In modern usage, some writers and speakers employ gender-neutral pronouns with everybody, such as "their," in phrases like "Everybody should bring their own umbrella." Traditional grammar would prefer "his or her," but the singular they construction is now widely accepted in many style guides and informal writing.

Etymology and related terms: the word is a compound of every and body, formed in English to mean the whole group of people. It is closely related to everyone, which has a similar meaning but is often considered slightly more formal or neutral. Other indefinite pronouns describing people include somebody, anybody, no one, and each of these follows similar singular verb patterns.

Usage considerations: While everybody and everyone are largely interchangeable, choice can reflect tone. Everybody tends toward casual, conversational style, whereas everyone may be chosen for a more formal or neutral register. In many contexts, the pair are interchangeable without changing meaning, though authors may prefer one over the other for rhythm or emphasis.