Etymology

thrift

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Today it means: The characteristic of using a minimum of something (especially money). Full definition →

Middle English thrift ← Old Norse þrift
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The story

  1. Old Norse · derived fromþrift“thriving condition, prosperity”
  2. Middle English · inherited fromthrift
  3. English todaythrift

From Middle English thrift, thryfte, þrift, from Old Norse þrift (“thriving condition, prosperity”). Equivalent to thrive + -t.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.