proper noun

/ˌprɑpər naʊn/

/ˈprɒpə naʊn/

Other forms: proper nouns

You'll know when you see a proper noun, because it starts with a capital letter, like the words "Disneyland," "San Antonio," and "George."

The difference between a proper noun and a regular or common noun — aside from capitalization — is that proper nouns refer to a specific person, place, or thing rather than a general category. So while aquarium is a noun, SeaWorld is a particular, proper noun, and whereas planet is a noun, Saturn is a proper noun.

Definitions of proper noun

1. noun

   a noun that denotes a particular thing; usually capitalized
   synonyms: proper name

   antonyms:

   common noun

   a noun that denotes any or all members of a class

   type of:

   noun

   a content word that can be used to refer to a person, place, thing, quality, or action