Etymology

'emselves

Today it means: Themselves (in unstressed position following a consonant). Full definition →

Middle English hemself ← Old English him selfum
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The story

  1. Old English · inherited fromhim selfum
  2. Middle English · inherited fromhemself
  3. English today'emselves

From earlier hemselves (compare 'em), from Middle English hemself, from Old English him selfum, equivalent to 'em + -selves.

Words from the same roots

Old Englishhim selfum all →

himself

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.