Ich

Pronunciation

• IPA: /itʃ/, /ɪtʃ/

From Middle English ich, from Old English iċ ("I", pronoun.), from Proto-Germanic *ek ("I", pronoun.), from Proto-Indo-European *éǵh₂ ("I"). See also ch-, I.

Alternative forms

• Iche, che, 'ch-, ch-

Pronoun

pronoun

1. (personal, obsolete) I.
• 1529, John Skelton, Elynour Rummyng:"Behold," she sayd, "and se How bright I am of ble! Ich am not cast away, That can my husband say, ..."
• 1561, John Awdelay, The fraternitye of vacabondes:My maysters, ich am an old man, and halfe blinde, ...
• 1568, Thomas Howell, Arbor of Amitie:With cap and knee, ich will serve thee, what should ich more declare.
• 1645, Thomas Davies, The Somersetshire Man's Complaint:Dost thinke 'chill labor to be poore, No no, ich haue a-doe..Ich will a plundering too.
• 1706, Edward Phillips, The New World of English Words:Ich, a Word us'd for I in the Western Parts of England.

Usage notes

Ich was the form of I found in the dialects of the West Country, West Midlands, and Kent. It began to disappear from written English with the onset of the Chancery Standard in the 15th century, yet continued to see limited use through the middle of the 19th century.

The Northern dialectal form, ik (which derives from the same Old English root), likewise disappeared from writing with the onset of the Chancery Standard in the 15th century.

Derived terms

• nich

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪk/

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Full definition of ich

Noun

1. (ichthyology) Ichthyophthiriasis, a parasitic infection of freshwater fish caused by the ciliate .
• Ich is one of the most common diseases of freshwater fish.

Anagrams

• chi, CIH, HCI, hic