An item is one of a collection or list of objects.
The most valuable item on show will be a Picasso drawing.
The menu includes the occasional off-beat item.
Synonyms: article, thing, object, piece More Synonyms of item
2. See also collector's item
3. countable noun
An item is one of a list of things for someone to do, deal with, or talk about.
The other item on the agenda is the tour.
Synonyms: matter, point, issue, case More Synonyms of item
4. countable noun
An item is a report or article in a newspaper or magazine, or on television or radio.
There was an item in the paper about him.
Synonyms: report, story, piece, account More Synonyms of item
5. singular noun
If you say that two people are an item, you mean that they are having a romantic or sexual relationship.
[informal]
She and Gino were an item.
item in British English
noun (ˈaɪtəm)
1.
a thing or unit, esp included in a list or collection
2. accounting
an entry in an account
3.
a piece of information, detail, or note
a news item
4. informal
two people having a romantic or sexual relationship
verb (ˈaɪtəm)
5. (transitive) an archaic word for itemize
adverb (ˈaɪtɛm)
6.
likewise; also
Word origin
C14 (adv) from Latin: in like manner
item in American English
(ˈaɪtəm)
adverb
1.
also
used before each article in a series being enumerated
noun
2. Dialectal, Archaic
an admonition; hint
3.
an article; unit; separate thing; particular; entry in an account
4.
a bit of news or information
5. Slang
a couple identified publicly as sweethearts or lovers
John and Joan are an item
verb transitive
6. Archaic
itemize
SYNONYMY NOTE: item applies to each separate article or thing entered or included in a list, inventory,record, etc.; , detail applies to any single thing or small section that is part of a whole structure, design,etc. [an architectural detail, the details of a plot]; particular stresses the distinctness of a thing as an individual unit in a whole [to go into particulars]
Word origin
ME < L < ita, so, thus
item in Retail
(aɪtəm)
Word forms: (regular plural) items
noun
(Retail: Products)
An item is a clearly identifiable product which can be given its own barcode.
Customers with five items or less may use the express checkout.
Customers are no longer prepared to wait in line, especially for single purchases,and about a third will simply decide to buy the item at another store.
An item is a clearly identifiable product which can be given its own barcode.
item in Accounting
(aɪtəm)
Word forms: (regular plural) items
noun
(Accounting: Financial statements, Commerce)
An item is an entry in an account.
The auditors do not verify every item in the company's books and instead they take samples.
The next three items in the current account are the net payments or receipts that arise from investmentincome.
An item is an entry in an account.
COBUILD Collocations
item
big-ticket items
electrical items
essential items
luxury items
stolen items
Examples of 'item' in a sentence
item
Pay awards are linked to earnings per share after adjustments for exceptional items.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They become extremely attached to items and show extreme anguish when attempting to discard them.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Take over the world one lipstick shade and one vintage display item at a time!
The Sun (2016)
These were once made by craftsmen who worked in wood and also made other items.
The Sun (2016)
More colourful news items still get a little lost in translation.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The longer your item is listed, the more chance people have to see it.
The Sun (2016)
Think of the modern game, how for years counterattacking became almost a luxury item.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
People are dumping items around it: mattresses, old bits of furniture and rubbish.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Rather than have this again, I asked if they could deliver the remaining two items together.
The Sun (2016)
In the past changes to his planned day, such as a menu item not being available, could force the whole family to leave a restaurant.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You can scan store items for more information and reviews and get exclusive offers.
The Sun (2014)
These items are not accounted for on the receipt.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We obviously spoke about the item for the show.
Jan Fennell FRIENDS FOR LIFE (2003)
They have become easily accessible items that young people want to be seen with.
The Sun (2007)
Why stop at a random menu item?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The company will book sizeable exceptional items this financial year and next to account for the restructuring.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
These top the list of forgotten items.
The Sun (2015)
These two items might or might not be connected.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
That one item makes your whole look so it really keeps the cost down.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The report noted expenditure on items such as personalised champagne bottles and beauty products.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
This also applies to items that are bought abroad.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Most of the luxury items she accrued over the years are still frozen assets.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There were big items on the agenda.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
What do these four news items have in common?
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Your clubs are expensive items and need careful care and attention.
Lewis, Beverly Winning Golf for Women (1993)
What if an item of information relevant to predicting driving time is unavailable or ignored?
Mishkin, Frederic S. Financial Markets, Institutions and Money (1995)
The ministry to youth was more important than the line item showed.
Christianity Today (2000)
But their main concern is people leaving expensive items in the car with the top down.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The most listed items on menus are burgers.
The Sun (2013)
One suspects that some companies might have been tempted to take these as exceptional items.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The list of consumer items contributing to our waste battery mountain keeps growing.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This includes items in the sale.
The Sun (2016)
He filled the embassies in which he worked with items from his collection so that others could share hisdelight in these objects.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
At present just homes, bank accounts and items such as power boats are generally subject to seizure.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I asked him where they had come from and he admitted stealing the items from a shop when we were out.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In other languages
item
British English: item /ˈaɪtəm/ NOUN
An item is one of a collection or list of objects.
The most valuable item on show will be a Picasso drawing.
American English: item
Arabic: بَنْدٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: item
Chinese: 项目
Croatian: predmet
Czech: položka
Danish: genstand
Dutch: item
European Spanish: artículo elemento
Finnish: nimike
French: élément
German: Stück
Greek: αντικείμενο
Italian: articolo
Japanese: 項目
Korean: 항목
Norwegian: element
Polish: pozycja artykuł
European Portuguese: item
Romanian: articol
Russian: пункт
Latin American Spanish: artículo mercancía
Swedish: sak
Thai: สิ่งของในรายการ
Turkish: madde dizi
Ukrainian: предмет
Vietnamese: hạng mục
All related terms of 'item'
item veto
(in the US) the power of a state governor to veto items in bills without vetoing the entire measure
line item
a specific item , esp., an amount listed separately, in a budget , appropriation bill , etc.
news item
a particular piece of news , usually from a journalistic source
collector's item
A collector's item is an object which is highly valued by collectors because it is rare or beautiful .
line-item veto
executive power to reject a section of a bill , esp. one containing specific appropriations , without vetoing the whole bill
Chinese translation of 'item'
item
(ˈaɪtəm)
n(c)
(on list, agenda) 项(項)目 (xiàngmù) (个(個), gè)
(on bill) 项(項) (xiàng)
(in collection, = object) 物品 (wùpǐn) (件, jiàn)
(in newspaper, on TV) 新闻(聞) (xīnwén) (条(條), tiáo)
items of clothing几(幾)件衣服 (jǐ jiàn yīfu)
1 (noun)
Definition
a single thing in a list or collection
The most valuable item on show will be a Picasso.
Synonyms
article
household articles
thing
What's that thing in the middle of the fountain?
object
an object the shape of a coconut
piece
There was a piece about him on television.
unit
Agriculture was based in the past on the family as a unit.
component
Enriched uranium is a key component of nuclear weapons.
2 (noun)
Definition
a single thing in a list or collection
The other item on the agenda is the tour.
Synonyms
matter
It was a private matter.
point
The most interesting point about the village is its religion.
issue
Is it right for the Church to express a view on political issues?
case
question
The whole question of aid is a tricky political one.
concern
Politicians cannot ignore the concerns of young people.
detail
I recall every detail of the party.
subject
It was I who first raised the subject of moving to Canada.
feature
The gardens are a special feature of this property.
particular
The nurses at the admission desk asked for her particulars.
affair
The government has mishandled the whole affair.
aspect
Climate affects every aspect of our lives.
entry
Her diary entry for that day records his visit.
theme
The novel's central theme is obsession.
consideration
Price was a major consideration in our choice of house.
topic
They offer tips on topics such as home safety.
3 (noun)
Definition
a piece of information
There was an item in the paper about him.
Synonyms
report
Press reports vary dramatically.
story
Those are some of the top stories in the news.
piece
account
I gave a detailed account of what had happened that night.
note
feature
a special feature on breast cancer research
notice
article
paragraph
The length of a paragraph should depend on the information it contains.
bulletin
the early morning news bulletin
dispatch
this dispatch from our West Africa correspondent
communiqué
The call came in a communiqué sent to the Irish Prime Minister.
write-up
phrase
See an item
Additional synonyms
in the sense of account
Definition
a report or description
I gave a detailed account of what had happened that night.
Synonyms
description,
report,
record,
story,
history,
detail,
statement,
relation,
version,
tale,
explanation,
narrative,
chronicle,
portrayal,
recital,
depiction,
narration
in the sense of affair
Definition
a thing to be done or attended to
The government has mishandled the whole affair.
Synonyms
matter,
thing,
business,
question,
issue,
happening,
concern,
event,
subject,
project,
activity,
incident,
proceeding,
circumstance,
episode,
topic,
undertaking,
transaction,
occurrence
in the sense of aspect
Definition
a distinct feature or element in a problem or situation
Climate affects every aspect of our lives.
Synonyms
feature,
point,
side,
factor,
angle,
characteristic,
facet
Synonyms of 'item'
item
Explore 'item' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bulletin
Definition
an official statement on a matter of public interest
the early morning news bulletin
Synonyms
report,
account,
statement,
message,
communication,
announcement,
dispatch,
communiqué,
notification,
news flash
in the sense of communiqué
The call came in a communiqué sent to the Irish Prime Minister.
Synonyms
announcement,
report,
bulletin,
dispatch,
news flash,
official communication
in the sense of component
Definition
a constituent part or feature of a whole
Enriched uranium is a key component of nuclear weapons.
Synonyms
part,
piece,
unit,
item,
element,
ingredient,
constituent
in the sense of concern
Definition
something that is of interest or importance to a person
Politicians cannot ignore the concerns of young people.
Synonyms
affair,
issue,
matter,
consideration
in the sense of consideration
Definition
a fact to be taken into account when making a decision
Price was a major consideration in our choice of house.
Synonyms
factor,
point,
issue,
concern,
element,
aspect,
determinant
in the sense of detail
Definition
an item that is considered separately
I recall every detail of the party.
Synonyms
point,
fact,
feature,
particular,
respect,
factor,
count,
item,
instance,
element,
aspect,
specific,
component,
facet,
technicality
in the sense of dispatch
Definition
a report sent to a newspaper by a correspondent
this dispatch from our West Africa correspondent
Synonyms
message,
news,
report,
story,
letter,
account,
piece,
item,
document,
communication,
instruction,
bulletin,
communiqué,
missive
in the sense of entry
Definition
a brief note, article, or group of figures in a diary, book, or computer file
Her diary entry for that day records his visit.
Synonyms
record,
listing,
account,
note,
minute,
statement,
item,
registration,
memo,
memorandum,
jotting
in the sense of feature
Definition
a prominent or distinctive part of something
The gardens are a special feature of this property.
Synonyms
aspect,
quality,
characteristic,
attribute,
point,
mark,
property,
factor,
trait,
hallmark,
facet,
peculiarity
in the sense of feature
Definition
a prominent story in a newspaper
a special feature on breast cancer research
Synonyms
article,
report,
story,
piece,
comment,
item,
column
Additional synonyms
in the sense of issue
Definition
a topic of interest or discussion
Is it right for the Church to express a view on political issues?
Synonyms
topic,
point,
matter,
problem,
business,
case,
question,
concern,
subject,
affair,
argument,
theme,
controversy,
can of worms (informal)
in the sense of object
Definition
a thing that can be touched or seen
an object the shape of a coconut
Synonyms
thing,
article,
device,
body,
item,
implement,
entity,
gadget,
contrivance,
thingummyjig (informal)
in the sense of paragraph
Definition
a section of a piece of writing, usually devoted to one idea, which begins on a new line and is often indented
The length of a paragraph should depend on the information it contains.
Synonyms
section,
part,
notice,
item,
passage,
clause,
portion,
subdivision
in the sense of particular
Definition
an item of information
The nurses at the admission desk asked for her particulars.
Synonyms
detail,
fact,
feature,
item,
circumstance,
specification
in the sense of piece
There was a piece about him on television.
Synonyms
item,
report,
story,
bit (informal),
study,
production,
review,
article
in the sense of point
Definition
a characteristic
The most interesting point about the village is its religion.
Synonyms
aspect,
detail,
feature,
side,
quality,
property,
particular,
respect,
item,
instance,
characteristic,
topic,
attribute,
trait,
facet,
peculiarity,
nicety
in the sense of question
Definition
a point at issue
The whole question of aid is a tricky political one.
Synonyms
issue,
point,
matter,
subject,
problem,
debate,
proposal,
theme,
motion,
topic,
proposition,
bone of contention,
point at issue
in the sense of story
Definition
a news report
Those are some of the top stories in the news.
Synonyms
report,
news,
article,
feature,
scoop,
news item
in the sense of subject
Definition
the person, thing, or topic being dealt with or discussed
It was I who first raised the subject of moving to Canada.
Synonyms
topic,
question,
issue,
matter,
point,
business,
affair,
object,
theme,
substance,
subject matter,
field of inquiry or reference
in the sense of theme
Definition
the main idea or topic in a discussion or lecture
The novel's central theme is obsession.
Synonyms
subject,
idea,
topic,
matter,
argument,
text,
burden,
essence,
thesis,
subject matter,
keynote,
gist,
through-line (Australian, US, Canadian)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of thing
Definition
an object or entity that cannot or need not be precisely named
What's that thing in the middle of the fountain?
Synonyms
object,
article,
implement,
machine,
device,
tool,
instrument,
mechanism,
apparatus,
gadget,
gizmo (informal),
contrivance,
whatsit (informal),
doo-dah (informal),
thingummy (informal),
thingummyjig (informal)
in the sense of topic
Definition
a subject of a speech, book, conversation, etc.
They offer tips on topics such as home safety.
Synonyms
subject,
point,
question,
issue,
matter,
theme,
text,
thesis,
subject matter
in the sense of unit
Definition
a single undivided entity or whole
Agriculture was based in the past on the family as a unit.