'em

Meaning

Pronoun

• Them (now only in unstressed position following a consonant).

Origin

• From earlier hem, from Middle English hem, from Old English heom ("them") of hie, originally a dative plural form but in Middle English coming to serve as an accusative plural as well. Cognate with Dutch hun ("them"), German ihnen ("them").
• Now often treated as a form of them, which however derives from Old Norse rather than Old English.