Etymograph

English

own

Own comes from Old English āgen ‘own’, originally the past participle of āgan ‘to have’, from Proto-Germanic *aiganaz ‘own, owned’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyḱ- ‘to have, possess’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eyḱ-‘to have, possess’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*aiganą‘to own, possess’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*aiganaz‘own; owned’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*aigan‘own’reconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150āgen‘own, proper’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500oun
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1610–1611own

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eyḱ-‘to have, possess’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*aiganą‘to own, possess’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*aiganaz‘own; owned’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*aigan‘own’reconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150āgen‘own, proper’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500oun
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1610–1611own

Earliest quotation: 1610–1611, William Shakespeare, The Tempest: “Prospero: Fairely ſpoke ; / Sit then, and talke…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyḱ- ‘to have, possess’

freight, 6 more

through Proto-Germanic *aiganaz

owner, 1 more

through Proto-West Germanic *aigan

ought, owe, 2 more

Today it means

adj Belonging to; possessed; acquired and designated by; proper to; property of; titled to; held in one's name; under/using the name of. Often marks a possessive determiner as reflexive, referring back to the subject of the clause or sentence.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyḱ- / own

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