your

[ yoo r, yawr, yohr; unstressed yer ]
/ yʊər, yɔr, yoʊr; unstressed yər /

pronoun

(a form of the possessive case of you used as an attributive adjective): Your jacket is in that closet. I like your idea. Compare yours.
one's (used to indicate that one belonging to oneself or to any person): The consulate is your best source of information. As you go down the hill, the library is on your left.
(used informally to indicate all members of a group, occupation, etc., or things of a particular type): Take your factory worker, for instance. Your power brakes don't need that much servicing.

Origin of your

before 900; Middle English; Old English ēower (genitive of gē ye1); cognate with German euer

usage note for your

See me.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH your

yore your you're

Words nearby your

youngish, youngling, youngster, youngstown, younker, your, your guess is as good as mine, yourcenar, yourn, yours, yours truly

Definition for your (2 of 3)

thou 1
[ th ou ]
/ ðaʊ /

pronoun, singular, nominative thou; possessive thy or thine; objective thee; plural, nominative you or ye; possessive your or yours; objective you or ye.

Archaic except in some elevated or ecclesiastical prose. the personal pronoun of the second person singular in the nominative case (used to denote the person or thing addressed): Thou shalt not kill.
(used by the Friends) a familiar form of address of the second person singular.

verb (used with object)

to address as “thou.”

verb (used without object)

to use “thou” in discourse.

Origin of thou

1
before 900; Middle English; Old English thū; cognate with German, Middle Dutch du, Old Norse thū, Gothic thu, Old Irish tú, Welsh, Cornish ti, Latin tū, Doric Greek tý, Lithuanian tù, OCS ty; akin to Sanskrit tvam; (v.) late Middle English thowen, derivative of the pronoun

Definition for your (3 of 3)

you
[ yoo; unstressed yoo, yuh ]
/ yu; unstressed yʊ, yə /

pronoun, possessive your or yours, objective you, plural you.

noun, plural yous.

something or someone closely identified with or resembling the person addressed: Don't buy the bright red shirt—it just isn't you. It was like seeing another you.
the nature or character of the person addressed: Try to discover the hidden you.

Origin of you

before 900; Middle English; Old English ēow (dative, accusative of gē ye1); cognate with Old Frisian ju, Old Saxon iu, Dutch u, Old High German iu, eu

usage note for you

In American English the pronoun you has been supplemented by additional forms to make clear the distinction between singular and plural. You-all, often pronounced as one syllable, is a widespread spoken form in the South Midland and Southern United States. Its possessive is often you-all's rather than your. You-uns (from you + ones ) is a South Midland form most often found in uneducated speech; it is being replaced by you-all. Youse ( you + the plural -s ending of nouns), probably of Irish-American origin, is most common in the North, especially in urban centers like Boston, New York, and Chicago. It is rare in educated speech. You guys is a common informal expression among younger speakers; it can include persons of both sexes or even a group of women only. See also me.

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH you

ewe yew you (see usage note at the current entry)

Content related to your

“Your” vs. “You’re”: How To Choose The Right Word If "your" and "you're" usually trip you up, have no fear! Here's a useful guide on the difference between the two terms, because English is hard enough.
READ MORE

British Dictionary definitions for your (1 of 4)

your
/ (jɔː, jʊə, unstressed jə) /

determiner

of, belonging to, or associated with you your nose; your house; your first taste of freedom
belonging to or associated with an unspecified person or people in general the path is on your left heading north; this lotion is for your head only
informal used to indicate all things or people of a certain type your part-time worker is a problem
your actual British informal (intensifier) here is your actual automatic tin-opener

Word Origin for your

Old English eower, genitive of gē ye 1; related to Old Frisian jūwe, Old Saxon euwa, Old High German iuwēr

British Dictionary definitions for your (2 of 4)

you
/ (juː, unstressed jʊ) /

pronoun (subjective or objective)

refers to the person addressed or to more than one person including the person or persons addressed but not including the speaker you know better; the culprit is among you
Also: one refers to an unspecified person or people in general you can't tell the boys from the girls
mainly US a dialect word for yourself or yourselves you should get you a wife now See yourself

noun

informal the personality of the person being addressed or something that expresses it that hat isn't really you
you know what or you know who a thing or person that the speaker cannot or does not want to specify

Word Origin for you

Old English ēow, dative and accusative of gē ye 1; related to Old Saxon eu, Old High German iu, Gothic izwis

undefined you

See me 1

British Dictionary definitions for your (3 of 4)

thou 1
/ (ðaʊ) /

pronoun (subjective)

archaic, dialect refers to the person addressed: used mainly in familiar address or to a younger person or inferior
(usually capital) refers to God when addressed in prayer, etc

Word Origin for thou

Old English thū; related to Old Saxon thū, Old High German du, Old Norse thū, Latin tū, Doric Greek tu

British Dictionary definitions for your (4 of 4)

thou 2
/ (θaʊ) /

noun plural thous or thou

one thousandth of an inch. 1 thou is equal to 0.0254 millimetre
informal short for thousand

Idioms and Phrases with your

you