my

¹ American  

[mahy] / maɪ /

pronoun

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

   My soup is cold.

---

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.

---

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!

---

interjection

1. an exclamation of surprise, awe, etc

   my, how you've grown!

MY ² British  

abbreviation

1. motor yacht

---

my ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Malaysia

---

my- ⁴ British  

combining form

1. a variant of myo-

---

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

For quite a while now, someone has been living inside my computer, writing emails for me.

From Los Angeles Times

“I’ve been telling readers of my email newsletter External link to do their homework before they leave, even if it’s to a place they think they know, like Mexico.”

From Barron's

As for my regular brokerage account, I tend to think of it more as a backup emergency fund.

From MarketWatch

In my case, I suspect I’d end up using it for rather pedestrian things.

From The Wall Street Journal

When my wife suffered a traumatic brain injury, she wanted to read only romance novels.

From The Wall Street Journal