Wē, pron.

pl. of I. [poss. OUR, or OURS; obj. US. See I.] [A-S. we, O. Sax. we, wi, O. Fries. & L. Ger. wi, D. wij, Sw. & Dan. vi, Icel. vér, H. Ger. wir, Goth. veis.] I and others; a number in whom I am included.

We is often used by individuals, as authors, editors, and the like, in speaking of themselves, in order to avoid the appearance of egotism in the too frequent repetition of the pronoun I. The plural style is also in use among kings and other sovereigns, and is said to have been begun by King John of England. Before that time, monarchs used the singular number in their edicts. The German and the French sovereigns followed the example of King John in 1200.