Where does “own” come from?
Own derives from Middle English aȝen, from Old English āgen, formed with the Old English prefix ġe- and roots traceable to Proto-Indo-European h₂eyḱ-.
own (English): Belonging to; possessed; proper to. Often marks a...
Definitions
- Belonging to; possessed; proper to. Often marks a...
Ancestry of “own”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | aȝen | Alternative form of awen |
| 2 | Old English | āgen | peculiar; own, proper, peculiar |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | aigan | to possess, to own, to have; own |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *aiganą | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₂óyḱe | to possess, to own |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyḱ- | to possess, to own |