To Each Their Own Origin | Where The Saying Comes From

You’ve heard it after a spicy take. Someone hates pineapple on pizza. Someone else loves it. A shrug follows: “to each their own.”

It’s a small phrase with a long shadow. It can sound friendly, neutral, or a little sharp, depending on how it lands. So where did it come from, and how did it end up in everyday English?

This piece walks through the roots of the saying, the older forms it came from, and the real-world way people use it now. You’ll also get quick writing tips, since the wording (“his” vs “their”) trips people up.

What People Mean When They Say It

In modern speech, it’s a permission slip. It tells the listener: “You like what you like, I’m not going to fight you on it.”

Most of the time, it softens disagreement. It can keep a chat from turning into a debate. It can also end a debate fast, like closing a door with a smile.

One thing to notice: the phrase rarely praises the choice. It mostly accepts it. That’s why the tone can tilt from warm to dry in a heartbeat.

To Each Their Own Origin And Why It Sounds Right

If you trace the phrase backward, you run into an older idea: “to each what is due.” That line shows up in Roman law and moral writing, where “each” means each person, and “own” means what belongs to them by right.

A classic English rendering appears in translations of the Roman legal text known as the Institutes of Justinian: “to give every man his due.” That sentence sits beside two other short rules for lawful living. You can see that wording in a public-domain translation online via The Institutes of Justinian, which preserves the “due” sense rather than the “tastes” sense.

That “due” meaning is older and heavier. It’s about fairness, rights, and what someone is owed. Over time, English picked up a lighter everyday use that deals with preference: food, style, hobbies, opinions.

Two Streams That Blend Into One Phrase

There are two closely related streams that feed the modern saying.

• Stream one: “each gets what belongs to them.” This is the law-and-duty sense. It’s about rightful share.
• Stream two: “people have different tastes.” This is the daily-life sense. It’s about preference and tolerance.

Modern “to each their own” mostly rides stream two, even though the wording still echoes stream one.

Why The Phrase Uses “Own”

“Own” does a lot of work. It can mean property. It can also mean a personal thing: your style, your pick, your way. That’s why the phrase fits both the older “what is due” idea and the newer “what you like” idea.

When someone says it today, they’re rarely talking about legal ownership. They’re pointing to personal choice and leaving it there.

Older Forms: “To Each His Own” And Related Lines

In English, an older common version is “to each his own.” It’s still widely understood. Many dictionaries list it as the main idiom, with “each to his own” as a variant.

Merriam-Webster defines the idiom as a way to say people are free to like different things, and it lists variants that match what you’ll see in real writing. Here’s the entry: “to each his own” (Merriam-Webster).

So why did “their” show up? A lot of speakers now prefer gender-neutral wording in general statements. “Their” has filled that role in English for a long time, and it feels natural in a phrase that refers to “each” person.

“Their” In One Person Statements

People sometimes get stuck on the idea that “their” must be plural. In practice, English speakers use “their” in singular-generic statements all the time, especially when the person’s gender isn’t named.

That’s why “to each their own” feels smooth to many ears. It matches the way people already talk: “Someone left their jacket,” “Each student brought their notebook.”

Is One Version “Correct”?

In everyday speech, both versions work. Choice comes down to audience and tone.

• If you’re writing in a traditional style guide setting, “to each his own” may show up more often.
• If you want neutral wording that fits modern general-audience writing, “to each their own” often reads more natural.

If you’re unsure, pick the version that matches the rest of your page. Consistency beats perfection-chasing.

How The Meaning Shifted From “Due” To “Taste”

The older “due” sense is about fairness: what a person is owed. You still see that idea in mottos and legal language, where the phrase points to justice and duty.

Everyday English took the same skeleton—“to each” + “own”—and let it drift into a friendlier lane: personal preference. That shift makes sense. When you talk about what someone “has coming to them,” you’re near the idea of what “belongs” to them. From there, it’s a short step to what “fits” them, then to what they “like.”

That’s also why the phrase can carry two vibes at once. It can be a gentle nod to difference. It can also carry a faint edge, like, “I wouldn’t choose that, but you do you.”

When It Sounds Warm, And When It Sounds Snippy

The phrase is small, so tone carries it. In text, you don’t get facial cues, so it’s easy to sound colder than you mean.

Warm Uses

• After a low-stakes preference: food, music, hobbies.
• When you want to stop a minor debate from getting personal.
• When you’re giving someone space to pick what suits them.

Snippy Uses

• When it follows a blunt insult: “That’s ugly, to each their own.”
• When it’s used as a shutdown line in a serious topic where the other person wants engagement.
• When it’s paired with sarcasm or an eye-roll vibe in the surrounding sentence.

If your goal is kindness, add one extra line that shows respect: “Not my style, but I’m glad you found one you like.” That small add-on changes the feel.

Timeline And Variants That Show The Evolution

Below is a compact view of how the idea travels across time: from “owed share” language into modern preference talk. The wording changes across centuries and settings, yet the core stays: people aren’t all going to match.

Era Or Setting	Common Form	Main Sense
Roman law writing	“to give each person their due”	Fair share; rightful claim
Latin mottos	“suum cuique”	“each gets what belongs to them”
Early English moral prose	“to each his own”	Fairness language in English dress
Everyday speech	“to each his own”	People like different things
Modern neutral wording	“to each their own”	Same idea, gender-neutral pronoun
Shortened casual version	“each to their own”	Quick sign-off on a preference
Sharper, dismissive use	“to each their own…”	Softened disagreement, sometimes dry
Writing-room choice	Either version, kept consistent	Style and audience match

How To Use The Phrase In Writing Without Sounding Off

If you’re writing for a broad audience—students, readers learning English, mixed-age visitors—this phrase can be handy. It’s short, plain, and familiar.

Still, it’s easy to overuse. It can read like a shrug that ends the conversation. Use it when that’s your intent: you want to accept difference and move on.

Three Easy Placement Tips

• Keep it near a mild topic. Food, fashion, hobbies, harmless preferences.
• Pair it with a friendly clause. “To each their own, and I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”
• Avoid stacking it after a jab. If you criticize first, the phrase won’t soften it much.

Punctuation Changes The Feel

Commas feel lighter. A period can feel final.

• “I’m not into horror movies, to each their own.” (soft)
• “I’m not into horror movies. To each their own.” (firm)

If you’re aiming for warmth, the first pattern usually reads kinder.

Common Confusions People Have About The Phrase

Confusion 1: “Is It About Tolerance Or Approval?”

It’s tolerance more than approval. You can use it even when you don’t like the thing. That’s the point: you’re letting it be.

Confusion 2: “Does ‘Their’ Make It Plural?”

No. In this phrase, “their” works as a general pronoun linked to “each.” Many readers accept that without a second thought.

Confusion 3: “Is It Polite In Serious Topics?”

Often, no. If someone is sharing a belief, a hardship, or something personal, “to each their own” can feel dismissive. A better move is to acknowledge what they said, even if you disagree: “I hear you,” “I see where you’re coming from,” or “Thanks for sharing that.”

Better Swaps When You Want Softer Language

Sometimes you want the same “different tastes” idea, just with more warmth. Here are options that keep things friendly without sounding like a shutdown.

Situation	What The Phrase Can Signal	Gentler Swap
Light debate about food	Acceptance, mild disagreement	“Not my pick, but I get it.”
Style choices	Space for preference	“If you like it, that’s what counts.”
Music and movies	End of debate	“Different tastes, that’s all.”
Online comments	Cold sign-off risk	“Glad it works for you.”
Serious personal topics	Dismissal risk	“Thanks for telling me.”
Workplace feedback	Refusal to engage	“Let’s agree on a choice that fits the goal.”
Classroom discussion	Conversation stopper	“Tell me what led you there.”

A Simple Wrap-Up You Can Apply Right Away

The phrase started life close to an old “each person gets what they’re owed” idea, then moved into daily speech as a way to grant room for preference.

If you want the modern feel, “to each their own” is common and easy. If you want the older idiom as listed in many dictionaries, “to each his own” still shows up often. Either way, tone is the whole game.

Use it for low-stakes differences. Add one friendly clause when you want it to land warm. Skip it when someone needs real engagement.