Where does “ownself” come from?
ownself (English) comes from English own, from Middle English aȝen, from Old English āgen, from Proto-West Germanic aigan, from Proto-Germanic *aiganą, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eh₂óyḱe, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyḱ- — to possess, to own.
ownself (English): own self
Definitions
- own self
Ancestry of “ownself”, step by step
ownself traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English own
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | own | Belonging to; possessed; proper to. Often marks a... |
| 2 | Middle English | aȝen | Alternative form of awen |
| 3 | Old English | āgen | peculiar; own, proper, peculiar |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | aigan | to possess, to own, to have; own |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *aiganą | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₂óyḱe | to possess, to own |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyḱ- | to possess, to own |
via English Self
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Self | Himself, herself, itself, themself, themselves; that specific (person mentioned) |
| 2 | Middle English | salve | Alternative form of sauf |
| 3 | Old English | sealf | salve |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | salbu | salve, ointment |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | salbō | salve, ointment |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | solp-éh₂ | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | selp- | fat, oil |