*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of yous

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *yúHs Proto-Indo-European *uswé Proto-Indo-European *-(m)is? Proto-Indo-European *uswísder. Proto-Germanic *izwiz Proto-West Germanic *iwwiz Old English ēow Middle English yow English y

1 source sectionExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 1 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Unnumbered source etymology

Original entry ↗
det

The group spoken or written to.

pron

You.

verb

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of you.

noun

plural of you

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *yúHs Proto-Indo-European *uswé Proto-Indo-European *-(m)is? Proto-Indo-European *uswísder. Proto-Germanic *izwiz Proto-West Germanic *iwwiz Old English ēow Middle English yow English you Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ms Proto-Indo-European *-omsder. Proto-Germanic *-anzder.? Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂m̥s Proto-Germanic *-ōz Proto-Germanic *-ōsder.? Old English -as Middle English -es English -s English yous From you + -s (plural suffix).

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "you",
        "4": "-s<id:plural><pos:plural suffix>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *yúHs\nProto-Indo-European *uswé\nProto-Indo-European *-(m)is?\nProto-Indo-European *uswísder.\nProto-Germanic *izwiz\nProto-West Germanic *iwwiz\nOld English ēow\nMiddle English yow\nEnglish you\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *-ms\nProto-Indo-European *-omsder.\nProto-Germanic *-anzder.?\nProto-Indo-European *-éh₂m̥s\nProto-Germanic *-ōz\nProto-Germanic *-ōsder.?\nOld English -as\nMiddle English -es\nEnglish -s\nEnglish yous\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"alt\" : \"*uswís\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*yúHs\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*uswé\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"alt\" : \"*-(m)is\", \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-mis\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*izwiz\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*iwwiz\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"ēow\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"yow\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"you\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"id\" : \"plural\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"plural\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"plural\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"thematic\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-os\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-ms\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-oms\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-anz\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"accusative plural\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*-éh₂m̥s\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ōz\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-ōs\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-as\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-es\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-s\", \"lang\" : \"en\", \"pos\" : \"plural suffix\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"yous\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"yous\">\nFrom you + -s (plural suffix)."
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "you",
        "4": "-s<id:plural><pos:plural suffix>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *yúHs\nProto-Indo-European *uswé\nProto-Indo-European *-(m)is?\nProto-Indo-European *uswísder.\nProto-Germanic *izwiz\nProto-West Germanic *iwwiz\nOld English ēow\nMiddle English yow\nEnglish you\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *-ms\nProto-Indo-European *-omsder.\nProto-Germanic *-anzder.?\nProto-Indo-European *-éh₂m̥s\nProto-Germanic *-ōz\nProto-Germanic *-ōsder.?\nOld English -as\nMiddle English -es\nEnglish -s\nEnglish yous\nFrom you + -s (plural suffix)."
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*yúHs",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/yúHs"
    ],
    [
      "*uswé",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/uswé"
    ],
    [
      "*-(m)is",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-mis"
    ],
    [
      "*izwiz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/izwiz"
    ],
    [
      "*iwwiz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/iwwiz"
    ],
    [
      "ēow",
      "eow#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "yow",
      "yow#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "you",
      "you#English"
    ],
    [
      "*-os",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-os#Proto-Indo-European:_thematic"
    ],
    [
      "*-ms",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-ms"
    ],
    [
      "*-oms",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-oms"
    ],
    [
      "*-anz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-anz"
    ],
    [
      "*-éh₂m̥s",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/-éh₂m̥s"
    ],
    [
      "*-ōz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ōz#Proto-Germanic:_accusative_plural"
    ],
    [
      "*-ōs",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/-ōs"
    ],
    [
      "-as",
      "-as#Old_English:_plural"
    ],
    [
      "-es",
      "-es#Middle_English:_plural"
    ],
    [
      "-s",
      "-s#English:_plural"
    ],
    [
      "you",
      "you#English"
    ],
    [
      "-s",
      "-s#English:_plural"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "det",
      "glosses": [
        "The group spoken or written to."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dialectal"
      ],
      "recordId": "044d699c361245a149edf87a8fc01802c88b1ce3b7347e94e70aa9101b298009",
      "rawRecordSha256": "34a2f9d685ed0bb28325033bf0abbe8636ea35a5f0326bd587677dbf6a4b78ca",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 52446
    },
    {
      "pos": "pron",
      "glosses": [
        "You."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dialectal",
        "in-plural",
        "colloquial",
        "singular"
      ],
      "recordId": "16a866e83594acee1d3633b5127f680ede196059a03e481c102f74aa4b53968d",
      "rawRecordSha256": "8aeb1146a389d3a806b6ae25295def43cab3d82fa51539ac6019c7953d563c25",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 52445
    },
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "Third-person singular simple present indicative form of you."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dialectal",
        "form-of",
        "indicative",
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ],
      "recordId": "97422b93c41371eafb7b6e2a2d8a59467f0a85b3527316e702741114d8846f25",
      "rawRecordSha256": "bea801e3ff31985e0ea81f8b6433356d65b331cea891329d5b85ed30d3f9d868",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 52448
    },
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "plural of you"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dialectal",
        "form-of",
        "plural"
      ],
      "recordId": "b36131809abb86b38934a7c9ede088c5985729fcf1f4b1f7a40aa103dd35202d",
      "rawRecordSha256": "37941a0acd58581fd872ccfc09d6cf5c53256800d1da39db95cd55bc91073583",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 52447
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for yous →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-eW91cw