The word "it" is a pronoun. Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns in sentences to avoid repetition and to refer to something already mentioned or understood. Specifically, "it" is a third-person singular pronoun typically used to refer to a thing, animal, or sometimes an idea that is not a person. If further details about "it" or examples of its use are desired, that can be provided as well. The word "it" is distinct from articles like "the," which is a type of adjective and definite article used to specify particular nouns.