our

Meanings

1. 1
   det

   Belonging to us, excluding the person(s) being addressed (exclusive our).

   Sorry, you're not invited to our party.

2. 2
   det

   Belonging to us, including the person(s) being addressed (inclusive our).

   We must try to save our marriage for the sake of our children.

3. 3
   det

   Of, from, or belonging to any entity that the speaker is a part of or identifies with, such as place of employment or education, nation, region, language, etc.

   Our safety record at ABC Widgets is very good.

4. 4
   det

   Belonging to people in general.

   As we get older, our reactions get slower.

5. 5
   det

   Belonging to everyone being addressed.

   How are we all tonight? Have we got our happy faces on?

6. 6
   det

   Belonging to an individual being addressed; used especially of a person in the speaker's care, or to whom advice or instruction is being given.

   How are we feeling this morning, Mrs Miggins? Have we taken our tablets yet?

7. 7
   det

   Belonging to a third person, especially someone in the speaker's care.

   "I've just been to see Mrs Miggins." — "And how is she?" — "Not too good today. We've had a little problem with our tummy."

8. 8
   det

   Used to imply connection between the speaker's experiences or activities and a group of listeners.

   Hey guys, in this video I'll show you how I make my upside-down sponge cake. First, let's get our ingredients weighed out.

Etymology

From Middle English oure, from Old English ūre, ūser (“our”), from Proto-Germanic *unseraz (“of us, our”), from Proto-Indo-European *n̥-s-ero- (“our”). Cognate with Scots oor (“our”), West Frisian ús (“our”), Low German uns (“our”), Dutch onze (“our”), German unser, unsere (“our”) Danish vor (“our”), Norwegian vår (“our”), and more distantly Latin noster.