my

¹ American  

[mahy] / maɪ /

pronoun

1. (a form of the possessive case of I used as an attributive adjective).

   My soup is cold.

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interjection

1. Also (used as an exclamation of mild surprise or dismay).

   My, what a big house this is! My-my, how old he looks!

my- ² American  

1. variant of myo- before some vowels.

   myalgia.

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my ¹ British  

/ maɪ /

determiner

1. of, belonging to, or associated with the speaker or writer (me)

   my own ideas

   do you mind my smoking?

2. used in various forms of address

   my lord

   my dear boy

3. used in various exclamations

   my goodness!

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interjection

1. an exclamation of surprise, awe, etc

   my, how you've grown!

MY ² British  

abbreviation

1. motor yacht

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my ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Malaysia

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my- ⁴ British  

combining form

1. a variant of myo-

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Grammar

See me.

Usage

What does my- mean? My- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “muscle.” It is often used in medical terms, especially in anatomy. My- comes from the Greek mŷs, meaning “muscle” and “mouse.” Mouse? You read that right. Discover why at our entry for muscle!My- is a variant of myo-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use myo- article.

Etymology

Origin of my

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English mī, variant of mīn, Old English mīn; mine ¹

Example Sentences

“It’s this twin phenomenon of early claiming — ‘Hurry up and give me my money’ — and then very slowly spending it.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Schönbrunn Palace is one of my favorite places.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Paul posted the familiar meme “stopped by my biggest hater’s funeral” on his Instagram story shortly after the Clippers blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead in a 126-121 play-in loss to the Golden State Warriors.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

"But if we got to Serie A now, in my opinion, we're not ready. We've got to push and believe, we need a better way of playing - but it won't happen overnight."

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Got a cast on my right leg, but it could’ve been worse.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith