thank

T1H4A1N1K5
UK/ˈθæŋk/UK[ˈθæŋk]British, Southern, Standard/ˈθaŋk/British, Southern, Standard[ˈθaŋk]

verb

To express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something).

“She thanked him for the lift.”

Similar
give thanks
OriginMiddle English thank ← Old English þanc ← Proto-Germanic *þankaz →
Very commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

thank1

nounthank (plural thanks)

plural thanks

  1. obsoletesingularsingular 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
    1 more example

    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

thank2

verbthank (third-person singular simple present thanks, present participle thanking, simple past and past participle thanked)

present singular third person thanks · participle present thanking · participle past thanked · past thanked · alternative obsolete thanke

  1. transitiveTo express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something).

    She thanked him for the lift.

    5 more examples

    [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

    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

    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

    [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

    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
  2. transitiveIn 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!

    1 more example

    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
  3. raretransitiveTo express appreciation or gratitude for (something).
  4. figurativelytransitiveTo 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
  5. figurativelytransitiveChiefly 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.

    1 more example

    We have two sick newborns to thank for our lack of sleep lately.

  6. intransitiveobsoleteTo express gratitude.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbexpress gratitude or show appreciation to

Similar
give thanks
Broader
convey

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

thank · noun

  1. Proto-Indo-European*teng-“to perceive; to think”
  2. Proto-Germanic*þankaz“gratitude; expression of gratitude, thanks; mind, thought; remembrance”
  3. Old Englishþanc
  4. Middle Englishthank“gratitude; expression of gratitude, thanks; attractiveness; commendation, praise; God’s grace; goodwill; merit, reward; mind, thought”
  5. Englishthank

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).

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

thank · verb

  1. Proto-Indo-European*tóng-o-s
  2. Proto-Germanic*þankaz
  3. Proto-Germanic*þankōną
  4. Proto-West Germanic*þankōn
  5. Old Englishþancian
  6. Middle Englishthanken
  7. Englishthank

From Middle English thanken (“to express gratitude, give thanks; to congratulate, rejoice with, or wish joy to; to extol; 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”).

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek εὐχαριστέω
  • εὐχαριστέω (eukharistéō)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Arabic شَكَرَ
  • شَكَرَ (šakara)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Basque eskertu
  • eskertuto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Bulgarian благодаря́
  • благодаря́ (blagodarjá)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Catalan agrair
  • agrairto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Chinese Mandarin 道謝 /道谢, 感謝 /感谢
  • 道謝 /道谢 (dàoxiè)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • 感謝 /感谢 (gǎnxiè)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • 謝 /谢 (xiè)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Czech děkovat, poděkovat
  • děkovatto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • poděkovatto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • děkovatto credit or hold (someone or something) responsible
  • poděkovatto credit or hold (someone or something) responsible
Danish takke
  • takketo express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Dutch danken
  • dankento express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Esperanto danki
  • dankito express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Estonian tänama
  • tänamato express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Finnish kiittää, pyytää
  • kiittääto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • pyytääto request that (someone) do something
  • kiittääto express appreciation or gratitude for (something)
  • kiittääto respond to (someone) out of, or as if out of, appreciation or gratitude
  • kiittääto credit or hold (someone or something) responsible
French remercier
  • remercierto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
German danken, sich bedanken
  • dankento express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • sich bedankento express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Greek ευχαριστώ, ευγνωμονώ
  • ευχαριστώ (efcharistó)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • ευγνωμονώ (evgnomonó)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • ευχαριστώ (efcharistó)to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible
Hebrew הוֹדָה, הוֹדָה
  • הוֹדָה (hodá)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • הוֹדָה (hodá)to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible
Hindi धन्यवाद देना, शुक्रिया करना
  • धन्यवाद देना (dhanyavād denā)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • शुक्रिया करना (śukriyā karnā)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • शुक्र करना (śukra karnā)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Hungarian köszön, köszönetet mond
  • köszönto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • köszönetet mondto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • megköszönto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • köszönto credit or hold (someone or something) responsible
Icelandic þakka
  • þakkato express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Irish gabh buíochas
  • gabh buíochasto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Italian ringraziare
  • ringraziareto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Japanese 感謝する, おかげ
  • 感謝する (kansha suru)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • おかげ (okage)to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible
Korean 감사하다
  • 감사하다 (gamsahada)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Latin gratias ago
  • gratias agoto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Latvian pateikties
  • pateiktiesto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Lithuanian dėkoti
  • dėkotito express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Malay bersyukur kepada, berterima kasih kepada
  • bersyukur kepadato express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • berterima kasih kepadato express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Māori whakawhetai, whakamoemiti
  • whakawhetaito express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • whakamoemitito express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Norwegian takke
  • takketo credit or hold (someone or something) responsible
Norwegian Bokmål takke
  • takketo express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Polish dziękować, podziękować
  • dziękowaćto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • podziękowaćto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Portuguese agradecer
  • agradecerto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Romanian a mulțumi
  • a mulțumito express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Russian благодари́ть, поблагодари́ть
  • благодари́ть (blagodarítʹ)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • поблагодари́ть (poblagodarítʹ)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Scottish Gaelic thoir taing do
  • thoir taing doto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Slovak ďakovať, poďakovať
  • ďakovaťto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • poďakovaťto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • ďakovaťto credit or hold (someone or something) responsible
  • poďakovaťto credit or hold (someone or something) responsible
Spanish agradecer
  • agradecerto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Swahili -shukuru
  • -shukuruto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Swedish tacka
  • tackato express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Tamil நன்றிகூறு, நன்றிசொல்
  • நன்றிகூறு (naṉṟikūṟu)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • நன்றிசொல் (naṉṟicol)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Thai ขอบคุณ, ขอบใจ
  • ขอบคุณ (kɔ̀ɔp-kun)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • ขอบใจ (kɔ̀ɔp-jai)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • ขอบพระคุณ (kɔ̀ɔp-prá-kun)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Turkish teşekkür etmek
  • teşekkür etmekto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Ukrainian дя́кувати, подя́кувати
  • дя́кувати (djákuvaty)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • подя́кувати (podjákuvaty)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Urdu شُکْرِیَہ کَرْنا
  • شُکْرِیَہ کَرْنا (śukriya karnā)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Vietnamese cám ơn, biết ơn
  • cám ơnto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • biết ơnto express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
Yiddish דאַנקען, דאַנקען
  • דאַנקען (danken)to express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)
  • דאַנקען (danken)to credit or hold (someone or something) responsible
Zulu -bonga
  • -bongato express appreciation or gratitude toward (someone or something)

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with thank

bankranktankblankspankfranchankcrankdrankPlanckshankplankflankprankswankbancankhdankcinqueshranklankManctreebankslank
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

think (thank-think merger)tankdank (both th-stopping)think (thank-think merger)tankdank (both th-stopping)
Cite this entry
APA

thank. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thank

MLA

“thank.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thank. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “thank,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thank.

Source: thank on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.