ourselves
UK: ɑːˈsɛlvz | US: aʊrˈsɛlvz
pron. 1. Used as the reflexive or emphatic form of "we" or "us" (e.g., We did it ourselves).
pron. 2. Used to emphasize a group including the speaker (e.g., Ourselves, we prefer simplicity).
The word combines the possessive pronoun "our" (from Old English ūre, meaning "of us") with the plural noun "selves" (derived from Old English self, meaning "one's own person"). The compound emerged in Middle English to emphasize collective agency or identity, reflecting a grammatical need for reflexive/emphatic plural forms. The logic mirrors other reflexive pronouns (e.g., yourself, themselves), where ownership + "self" reinforces the subject's role in an action.
We built the treehouse ourselves.
Let’s keep this secret between ourselves.
Ourselves, we would never tolerate such behavior.
The responsibility lies with ourselves.
We must remind ourselves to stay patient.