Definition of the word us

The word "us" has its roots in Old English and Middle English. The Old English word for "us" was "ūs", which was the accusative and dative form of the word "wē" meaning "we". This word "wē" is thought to have originated from the Proto-Germanic word "*wez", which has cognates in other Germanic languages such as Old Norse "vá" and Gothic "we". In Middle English (circa 11th-15th centuries), the word "us" had become anglicized to "us" and was used as both the accusative and dative form. During the Early Modern English period (circa 15th-17th centuries), the word "us" began to be used more frequently and became a standard part of the English language. Today, "us" is used as a pronoun to refer to the speaker and others, often in the context of "me" and "my", and is an essential part of the English language.