Itself

Pronunciation: /ɪtˈsɛlf/

Definitions of itself

adverb used for emphasis to show that something is done or happening without any help or influence from other people or things

Example Sentences

A1 The cat cleaned itself.

A2 The book fell off the shelf and landed upright by itself.

B1 The car parked itself in the designated spot.

B2 The robot assembled itself in record time.

C1 The company prides itself on its commitment to sustainability.

C2 The theory in itself is not groundbreaking, but the implications are profound.

pronoun used to refer to a thing, animal, situation, etc., that has already been mentioned or is easily identified

Example Sentences

Examples of itself in a Sentence

formal The company prides itself on its commitment to sustainability.

informal The book itself was pretty boring, but the movie adaptation was much better.

slang I can't believe she wore that outfit, it was a disaster in itself.

figurative The painting speaks for itself, showcasing the artist's talent and skill.

Grammatical Forms of itself

• plural: themselves
• comparative: more itself
• superlative: most itself
• present tense: itself
• future tense: will itself
• perfect tense: has itself
• continuous tense: is itself
• singular: itself
• positive degree: itself
• infinitive: to itself
• gerund: itselfing
• participle: itselfed

Origin and Evolution of itself

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'itself' originated from Old English, where 'it' meant 'that one' or 'he/she/it' and 'self' meant 'individual' or 'same'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'itself' has retained its original meaning of referring to a specific individual or thing, but has also come to be used for emphasis or to emphasize the uniqueness or distinctiveness of something.