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OwnValues[x]

gives a list of transformation rules corresponding to all ownvalues defined for the symbol x.

OwnValues["symbol"]

gives a list of transformation rules corresponding to all ownvalues defined for the symbol named "symbol" if it exists.

Details and Options
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Applications  
Properties & Relations  
Neat Examples  
See Also
Tech Notes
Related Guides
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History
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OwnValues

OwnValues[x]

gives a list of transformation rules corresponding to all ownvalues defined for the symbol x.

OwnValues["symbol"]

gives a list of transformation rules corresponding to all ownvalues defined for the symbol named "symbol" if it exists.

Details and Options

  • Ownvalues are definitions for the symbol appearing on its own.
  • You can specify the ownvalues for x by making an assignment of the form OwnValues[x]=list.
  • The list returned by OwnValues has elements of the form HoldPattern[lhs]:>rhs.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (1)

Set a value for x:

Display its ownvalues:

Scope  (3)

OwnValues returns rules corresponding to definitions made for symbols:

Create several values:

Obtain the ownvalues of symbols whose names start with x:

OwnValues can be used to set values directly:

Applications  (2)

The resulting rules are in the order given:

Now reorder the definitions:

Copy a symbol's definitions to another symbol:

Properties & Relations  (6)

Values can be defined by immediate or delayed assignments:

HoldPattern is used to protect the rules from their own definitions:

OwnValues has attribute HoldAll to protect against its argument's values:

OwnValues["sym"] will issue a message if the specified symbol does not exist:

If the symbol exists but has no definitions, an empty list is returned:

Definition and Information display ownvalues but do not return them as values:

OwnValues returns a value that can be used in a program:

Evaluation of a symbol is equivalent to applying the rules for its definition:

Neat Examples  (1)

Copy a symbol's value to another symbol:

Wolfram Research (1991), OwnValues, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html (updated 2022).

Text

Wolfram Research (1991), OwnValues, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html (updated 2022).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1991. "OwnValues." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2022. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1991). OwnValues. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_ownvalues, author="Wolfram Research", title="{OwnValues}", year="2022", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-August-2025]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2025_ownvalues, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={OwnValues}, year={2022}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/OwnValues.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-August-2025]}