How to spell themselves

Themselves is spelled T-H-E-M-S-E-L-V-E-S.

hear it/ðɛm'sɛlvz/pronounSilent and tricky

What it means: Those same people or things previously mentioned.

In a sentence: The kids painted themselves with bright colors.

Same family: myself, yourself, himself, herself. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: “Themselves” comes from Old English ‘þæm selfum,’ literally meaning ‘those same ones.’ Over time, English merged these words into a single reflexive pronoun, keeping the basic idea of people doing something to or for their own selves.

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