A noun is a naming word. The word itself comes from a Latin word meaning name.
The only way we can we talk about anything is to name it.
Some words that can be used as nouns: cat, house, politics, eternity accounting, psychiatry, oatmeal, fear, joy.
TIP: If you can talk about it, it’s a noun.
PROPER NOUNS
Proper nouns describe a person or thing. In English proper nouns always begin with a capital letter: Alfred the Great, English, and Chicago.
COMMON NOUNS
Common nouns are used to describe persons or things in general. Most nouns are common nouns: puppy, child, mountain, water, kitchen, butterflies.
CONCRETE NOUNS
Nouns that can be seen, touched, tasted, smelled, or heard, are called concrete nouns: cat, velvet, soup, violets, music.
ABSTRACT NOUNS
Nouns that cannot be perceived through the five senses are called abstract nouns. They are ideas that can be talked about but not seen they way an object can be seen or felt: courage, loyalty, persistence, religion, failure, happiness, philosophy.
COLLECTIVE NOUNS
Collective nouns are used to describe groups or collections. Some collective nouns are used with only one type of collection; others can apply to more than one type of things or creatures:
a flock of birds/chickens (any feathered creature)
a herd of cattle/elephants (any large animal)
a school of fish
a pride of lions
a murder of crows
a deck of cards
a clowder of cats
a clutch of eggs
an aerie of eagles
MORE ABOUT NOUNS
Nouns have NUMBER. That is, they may be singular or plural.
Learn more about the Number of Nouns. (LINK coming)
Nouns show POSSESSION. That means that something can belong to the person or thing named by a noun.
Learn more about the Possessive of Nouns. (LINK coming)