thou etymology

Etymology: The word "thou" originates from the Old English word "þū," which evolved into the Middle English form "thou." It is a second-person singular pronoun that expresses an informal or familiar relationship between the speaker and the listener.

Meaning: "Thou" is a personal pronoun used to address a single person. It is equivalent to the modern English word "you." In earlier usage, "thou" was used to indicate intimacy, friendship, or familiarity.

Origin: "Thou" is believed to have originated from the Proto-Indo-European language, where it was pronounced as "tu." This root form is also found in other Indo-European languages, such as:

  • Sanskrit: "tvam"
  • Latin: "tu"
  • Greek: "sy"
  • German: "du"

Usage: "Thou" was commonly used in English from the Middle Ages until the 17th century. It was typically employed in religious contexts, poetry, and formal settings. However, its use declined in the 18th and 19th centuries, being replaced by the more formal "you."

Today, "thou" is primarily used in historical or liturgical texts, archaic language, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment. It is rarely used in casual speech or writing.

thou relate terms

  • thou

    Etymology The word thou originates from the Old English word þū which evolved into

  • parleyvoo

    Etymology The word parleyvoo originates from the French phrase Parlez vous which li

  • parley

    Etymology From Middle English parle from Old French parler from Latin parabolare

  • thou

    Etymology The word thou originates from the Old English word þū which evolved into

  • thee

    Etymology The word etymology comes from the Greek words etymon meaning true sense

  • thine

    Etymology The word thine comes from the Old English word þīn which originally mean

  • holystone

    Etymology Old English hālġstān hagolstān from hālġ holy see hallowed stān

  • hazel

    Etymology The name Hazel comes from the Old English word hæsel which means hazeln

  • elision

    Etymology Latin elīdere meaning to strike out dash out remove Related to Latin