From Middle English thank (“gratitude; expression of gratitude, thanks; attractiveness; commendation, praise; God’s grace; goodwill; merit, reward; mind, thought”), from Old English þanc, þonc (“gratitude; expression of gratitude, thanks; favour, grace; mind, thought; pleasure, satisfaction”), from Proto-Germanic *þankaz (“gratitude; expression of gratitude, thanks; mind, thought; remembrance”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *teng- (“to perceive; to think”).
Cognates
Cognate with Saterland Frisian Tonk (“thanks”), West Frisian tanke (“thanks”), Cimbrian dånke (“thanks”), Dutch dank (“thanks”), German Dank (“thanks”), Vilamovian dank, daŋk, daonk (“thanks”), Yiddish דאַנק (dank, “thanks”), Danish tak (“thanks”), Elfdalian tokk (“thanks”), Faroese takk, tøkk (“thanks”), Icelandic takk, þökk (“thanks”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk takk (“thanks”), Swedish tack (“thanks”), Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐌲𐌺𐍃 (þagks, “thanks”), Vandalic *þank- (“thanks”); also Latin tongeō (“to know”).
For the think — thank relation, compare typologically Russian призна́тельный (priznátelʹnyj) (< знать (znatʹ).
Meanings
(form-of, obsolete, singular) singular of thanks (“an expression of appreciation or gratitude; grateful feelings or thoughts; favour, goodwill, graciousness”)
If ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 6:33:
What great thank, then, if any man, reputed wise and constant, will neither do, nor permit others under his charge to do, that which he approves not, especially in matter of sin? 1643, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce: […], London: […] T[homas] P[aine] and M[atthew] S[immons] […], →OCLC:
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *tóng-o-s
Proto-Germanic *þankaz
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti
Proto-Germanic *-ōną
Proto-Germanic *þankōną
Proto-West Germanic *þankōn
Old English þancian
Middle English thanken
English thank
From Middle English thanken (“to express gratitude, give thanks; to congratulate, rejoice with, or wish joy to; to extol, praise; to hold responsible for”), from Old English þancian, þoncian (“to thank”), from Proto-West Germanic *þankōn, from Proto-Germanic *þankōną (“to thank”), from *þankaz (see etymology 1) + *-ōną (suffix forming infinitives of verbs from nouns).
Cognates
Cognate with Scots thank (“to thank”), Saterland Frisian tonkje (“to thank”), Cimbrian dånkan (“to thank”), Dutch, German, and Luxembourgish danken (“to thank”), Vilamovian danka, daŋka, daonka (“to thank”), Yiddish דאַנקען (danken, “to thank”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål takke (“to thank”), Faroese takka (“to thank”), Icelandic þakka (“to thank”), Swedish tacka (“to thank”).
Meanings
(transitive) To express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something).
[H]aſt thou no ſhame to deſpiſe that perſone, to whom onely and no man els, thou art bounde to thanke, euen for this veraie pointe, that thou ſetteſt ſo moche by thy peinted ſheathe? 1564 February, Erasmus, “The Saiynges of Diogenes the Cynike”, in Nicolas Udall [i.e., Nicholas Udall], transl., Apophthegmes, that is to Saie, Prompte, Quicke, Wittie and Sentẽcious Saiynges, […], London: […] Ihon Kingston, →OCLC, book I, folio 106, recto, paragraph 190:
We were able to transport goods and critical workers all the way through the pandemic, and at the time we had the Prime Minister thanking everyone for what was achieved. 2023 November 15, Ian Prosser, quoting Stefanie Foster, “A Healthy Person is a More Productive Person”, in Rail, number 996, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 32:
She thanked him for the lift.
She had at once the air of good fellowship and the dignity of a woman, and she seemed to understand Farrar and me perfectly. […] By the time we reached the house we were thanking our stars she had come. 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 70:
I can eate no meate, I thanke you. c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, […] [T]he Merrie Wiues of Windsor. […] (First Quarto), London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for Arthur Ihonson, […], published 1602, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], signature B, recto:
That his Majesty has good subjects in England, my Lord Duke, he is bound to thank God and the laws—that he has subjects in Scotland, I think he may thank God and the sword. 1818 July 25, Jedediah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], chapter XII, in Tales of My Landlord, Second Series, […] (The Heart of Mid-Lothian), volume II, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Company, →OCLC, page 310:
The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman and the Lion now thanked the Good Witch earnestly for her kindness, […] 1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, “The Good Witch Grants Dorothy’s Wish”, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC, page 256:
I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite. 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter IV, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC, page 97:
[S]ae laigh I need na bovv, / For, Lord be thankit, I can plough; / And vvhen I dovvna yoke a naig, / Then, Lord be thankit, I can beg; […] 1793, Robert Burns, “A Dedication to G[avin] H[amilton] Esq”, in Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, 2nd edition, volume II, Edinburgh: […] T[homas] Cadell, […], and William Creech, […], published 1793, →OCLC, page 66:
The naked Negro, panting at the line, / Baſks in the glare, or ſtems the tepid vvave, / And thanks his Gods for all the good they gave. 1764 December 19 (indicated as 1765), Oliver Goldsmith, The Traveller, or A Prospect of Society. A Poem. […], London: […] J[ohn] Newbery, […], →OCLC, page 5:
(transitive) In the future tense in the form one will thank someone to do something, chiefly expressing a command or criticism: to request that (someone) do something.
I’ll thank you not to smoke in my house!
Our readers would not thank us for going into the badgerings which had for some time annoyed the chancellor on the subject of arrears in his court. 1844, “Art. IV.—The Public and Private Life of Lord Chancellor Eldon, including His Correspondence, and Selections from the Anecdote Book, Written by Himself. By Horace Twiss, Esq., One of Her Majesty’s Counsel. 3 vols. 8vo. London, 1844. [book review]”, in John Taylor Coleridge, editor, The Quarterly Review, volume LXXIV, number CXLVII, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 104:
(rare, transitive) To express appreciation or gratitude for (something).
(figuratively, transitive) To respond to (someone) out of, or as if out of, appreciation or gratitude.
I should summon my lord from the Queen's royal presence to do your business, should I?—I were like to be thanked with a horse-whip. 1821 January 8, [Walter Scott], chapter I, in Kenilworth; a Romance. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; and John Ballantyne, […]; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, pages 11–12:
(figuratively, transitive) Chiefly followed by for: to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible, especially for something negative; to blame.
We can thank global warming for this freak weather.
el ευχαριστώ (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · et tänama (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · vi biết ơn (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · hi धन्यवाद देना (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ja 感謝する (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · fi kiittää (to respond to (someone) out of, or as if out of, appreciation or gratitude) · bo གཏང་རག་ཕུལ (to express appreciation or gratitude for (something)) · kea agradesê (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ada tsumi (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ur شُکْرِیَہ کَرْنا (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · gl agradecer (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · th ขอบใจ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ka მადლობის თქმა (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · rue дя́ковати (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · yi דאַנקען (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · fi kiittää (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · no takke (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · ky алкыш айтуу (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · enm thanken (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · bo ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཆེ་ཞུ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ta நன்றிசொல் (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · non þakka (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · da takke (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · pl dziękować (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · tr teşekkür etmek (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ps تشکرکول (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · mnc ᠪᠠᠨᡳᡥᠠ ᠪᡠᠮᠪᡳ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · yi דאַנקען (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · cmn 謝 /谢 (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ms berterima kasih kepada (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · cs děkovat (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · hsb so dźakować (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · is þakka (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · de sich bedanken (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · cs poděkovat (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · cmn 道謝 /道谢 (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · hu köszön (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · alt алкыш айдар (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · nl danken (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sk poďakovať (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · tg ташаккур кардан (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ca agrair (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ru благодари́ть (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · tyv өөрүп четтирер (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · hu köszönetet mond (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · mk заблагодари (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · uz minnatdor boʻlmoq (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · cs děkovat (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · be падзя́каваць (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sq falënderoj (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · fi kiittää (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · pl podziękować (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · nb takke (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · fi kiittää (to express appreciation or gratitude for (something)) · sh благода́рити (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · rue подя́ковати (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · got 𐌰𐍅𐌹𐌻𐌹𐌿𐌳𐍉𐌽 (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · mn талархах (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · eo danki (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sh zahvaljívati (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · eu eskertu (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ceb salamat (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · kk рахмет айту (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · la gratias ago (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ko 감사하다 (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · hi शुक्रिया करना (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · zu -bonga (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · kk алғыс айту (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sh zahváliti (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · hu köszön (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · grc εὐχαριστέω (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · mi whakawhetai (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · tg миннатдорӣ кардан (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ga gabh buíochas (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · rsk подзековац (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · fr remercier (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · fa-ira سِپاسْگُزاری کَرْدَن (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · el ευγνωμονώ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · be дзя́каваць (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · kmr spas (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sh захваљи́вати (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · tg сипосгузорӣ кардан (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · uk дя́кувати (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · oc mercejar (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · enm thanken (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ja おかげ (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · de danken (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ru поблагодари́ть (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · mba salamat (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · mn баярлах (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ang þancian (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · rsk дзековац (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · he הוֹדָה (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · es agradecer (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · hy շնորհակալություն հայտնել (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · cop ϣⲉⲡϩ̀ⲙⲟⲧ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · kea agradise (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · bg благодаря́ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · cu благодарьствити (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · cu благодарити (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · mi whakamoemiti (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · lo ຂອບຄຸນ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · uk подя́кувати (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · he הוֹדָה (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · zle-ort дѧковати (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ms bersyukur kepada (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · dsb źěkowaś se (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · hi शुक्र करना (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · th ขอบคุณ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · fi pyytää (to request that (someone) do something) · my ကျေးဇူးတင် (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · alt алкыш јеттирер (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ar شَكَرَ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · mnc ᠪᠠᠨᡳᡥᠠᠯᠠᠮᠪᡳ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · egy dwA-nTr-n (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · cmn 感謝 /感谢 (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ky ыракмат айтуу (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · fa-ira تَشَکُّر کَرْدَن (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sk poďakovať (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sl zahvaliti se (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sh захва́лити (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · uz rahmat aytmoq (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sl zahvaljevati se (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ro a mulțumi (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · lt dėkoti (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · ta நன்றிகூறு (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · mk заблагодарува (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sah махтан (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · nn takka (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sw -shukuru (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · hu megköszön (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · gd thoir taing do (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · lv pateikties (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · vi cám ơn (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · enm thanken (to express appreciation or gratitude for (something)) · sk ďakovať (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · el ευχαριστώ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sv tacka (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · cs poděkovat (to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible) · sk ďakovať (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · th ขอบพระคุณ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · mk благодари (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · fo takka (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · nmn da̰ã (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · tg раҳмат гуфтан (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · chr ᎠᎵᎮᎵᏤᎭ (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · zdj upveshelea marahaɓa (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · it ringraziare (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · tg ташаккур гуфтан (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · pt agradecer (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · sh blagodáriti (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)) · az təşəkkür etmək (to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something))