its

Part of Speech

Pronoun (possessive)

Pronunciation

/ɪts/

Definitions

• Used to indicate possession, belonging, or association, referring to a non-human subject or an inanimate object.
• Possessive form of "it" used to show ownership, often in contexts where gender is not specified or where the subject is not a person.

Usage Examples

• The dog wagged its tail happily.
• The company increased its profits this quarter.
• The tree lost its leaves in autumn.

Etymology

The word "its" is a possessive form of the pronoun "it," which dates back to the 12th century in Middle English. It was originally written as "hit," which is the Old English form of "it." The possessive form "its" developed in the 14th century, likely influenced by the possessive forms of other pronouns such as "his" and "her." The word "its" was initially used to refer to both animate and inanimate objects.

Synonyms

• Its own
• Belonging to it
• Of it

Antonyms

• Ours
• Theirs
• Your
• His
• Hers

Translations

Regional Pronunciation Variations

• In British English: /ɪts/
• In American English: /ɪts/ (pronounced with emphasis when distinguishing possessive forms)

Historical Usage

The word "its" is a possessive pronoun that has been used in English since the 14th century. Originally, English speakers used "his" for both masculine and neuter possessive forms. Over time, "its" became distinct as the neuter possessive form, following a trend in Middle English to create gender-neutral possessive forms for inanimate objects and non-human subjects.

Cultural Nuances

"Its" is commonly used in formal and informal contexts when referring to non-human subjects or objects. In many languages, the possessive form differs for animate and inanimate subjects. The use of "its" reflects the English language's evolving distinction between animate and inanimate possessive pronouns.

More Information

The possessive pronoun "its" plays a crucial role in the English language by allowing speakers to indicate ownership or association with non-human subjects. It is commonly used in sentences that describe ownership of objects, animals, or abstract concepts. Despite its grammatical importance, "its" is often confused with the contraction "it's," which stands for "it is" or "it has." Understanding this distinction is vital for proper usage in writing and speech.