own

The word “own” means belonging to a particular person; used to stress possession. In plain terms, to possess something, or to honestly admit something as true or yours.

“Own” is pronounced ohn (/oʊn/ in IPA).

Here is “own” used in a sentence: “She has her own car now.”

The opposite of “own” — its antonyms — is disown.

Depending on how it is used, “own” can be an adjective and a verb.

The word “own” comes from Old English. From Old English āgen, originally the past participle of āgan ("to owe, possess") — the same root as "owe.".

“Own” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Own” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: belonging to a particular person; used to stress possession.

The word 'own' adds emphasis to possession. 'My car' simply states ownership, but 'my own car' stresses that it belongs to me and no one else, often implying independence or pride. It reinforces the possessive before it, which is why 'own' always follows words like my, your, or their.

As an adjective, 'own' stresses possession and follows a possessive word — 'her own idea.' As a verb, 'own' means to possess something — 'she owns the shop.' The adjective emphasises that something belongs to someone; the verb states the plain fact of possession itself.

'He built the house with his own hands' underlines that he, personally, did the work. 'She has her own money' stresses that the money is hers alone. In each case, 'own' strengthens the possessive, ruling out the idea that anyone else was involved.