A noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. Nouns can be singular or plural, concrete or abstract, common or proper. There are different types of nouns including collective nouns, compound nouns, count nouns, and noncount nouns. Nouns are one of the basic building blocks of language and are usually among the first words children learn to use. The document encourages further study of nouns as a fundamental element of English grammar.