Ourselves
/aʊərˈsɛlvz/noun
The reflexive form of the first-person plural pronoun, used to refer back to the speaker and others with them.
Did you know?‘Ourselves’ is not a standalone ancient root-word; it’s a later English compound built from ‘our’ + ‘selves,’ and its power comes from grammar, not magic.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
ūre sylfe
“our selves; the plural reflexive idea expressed with 'our' plus 'selves'”
Middle English
ME
oure selven / our selve
“our own selves; reflexive plural form”
Early Modern English
English
ourselves
“standardized reflexive pronoun for first-person plural”
Modern English
English
ourselves
“reflexive pronoun referring to the speaker and one or more others”