- it
- \ \ [OE] It (or hit, as it was in Old English) comes ultimately from the same prehistoric Germanic demonstrative stem form. *khi-, as produced he.\ \ The possessive form its is a comparatively recent development, dating from the end of the 16th century; until then, his was used for ‘its’.\ \ Cf.⇒ HE
Word origins - 2ed. J. Ayto. 2005.