Word
itself
Phoneticsit·self, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪtˈsɛɫf/
UK/ɪtsˈɛlf/
In Japanese
itself
車自体は良くも悪くもない。運転する人次第です。
A car in itself is neither good nor bad; it depends on the driver. Tatoeba
Japanese from JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR. All sources.
Definitions
01reflexive use
A2 · Elementary
pron. you use this when a thing or animal does something to itself.
pron. the reflexive form of 'it', used as the object of a verb or preposition when the object is the same as the subject.
“The cat licked itself clean after finishing its bowl of milk.”
“The software update will download and install itself automatically once the computer is connected to a power source.”
02for emphasis
B1 · Intermediate
pron. you use this to emphasize the specific thing you are talking about.
pron. an emphatic pronoun used to intensify a noun or another pronoun, highlighting that specific entity over others.
“The house itself is small, but the garden is very large.”
“While the conclusion of the report was controversial, the data itself was considered beyond reproach by the scientific community.”
Synonyms
Usage
Functions as a reflexive pronoun or an intensive pronoun. When used for emphasis, it can follow the noun directly or appear at the end of the clause.
Etymology
From Middle English hit-self, equivalent to it + -self.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
01. lend itself to
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Pre-2
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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