Where does “its” come from?
Its is the possessive form of English it, from Middle English hit, Old English hit, and Proto-Germanic hit, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱe-, a demonstrative root meaning "this."
its (English): Belonging to it; The one belonging to it; plural...
Definitions
- Belonging to it; The one belonging to it; plural...
Ancestry of “its”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | it’s | There's, there is; there're, there are |
| 2 | English | -’s | Attached to a noun or noun phrase linked to a genitive (Compare of mine, etc.) |
| 3 | Middle English | -s | Adverbial genitive ending, developed into the... |
| 4 | Old English | -es | possessive marker, indicating that an object... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -as | used in formation of adverbs |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -ēs | Primarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -ess | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -os | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;... |