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you

(y)

pron.

1. Used to refer to the one or ones being addressed: I'll lend you the book. You shouldn't work so hard. See Notes at y'all, you-uns.

2. Used to refer to an indefinitely specified person; one: You can't win them all.

3. Nonstandard Used reflexively as the indirect object of a verb: You might want to get you another pair of shoes. See Note at me.

[Middle English, from Old English ēow, dative and accusative of gē, ye, you; see yu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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