What is a noun?
Answer
A noun is a part of speech that denotes a person, place, or thing. The "thing" doesn't necessarily have to be a physical object; it can also be an idea, a state of mind, a process, or an action.
For example, the words student and teacher are nouns because they each denote a person. The names Alexia and James are nouns because they refer to people.
Central Georgia Technical College and Macon Mall are nouns that reference places. Auditorium and cafeteria are also nouns that fall under the "places" category.
Peacock and squirrel are nouns that denote animate things; football and baseball are visible inanimate things that involve people and actions. Perfection and dedication are words that each denote the result of an action or a series of actions, and happiness and excitement denote emotions or mental states.
Some nouns referring to processes are analysis, sanitation, procreation, and revitalization; some nouns suggesting an action that can be physical or mental are running, jogging, baking, cooking, fishing, shopping, shipping, thinking, knowing, learning, believing, and accepting. Note that nouns ending in -ing are called verbals because they are each made up of a verb or a word that denotes physical or mental activity or movement (such as run, ship, and know, for example).