Where does “thanks” come from?

thanks (Dutch) comes from English thanks, from Middle English thanks, from Old English þancas, from Proto-Germanic þankōs, from Proto-Germanic þankaz, from Proto-Indo-European teng- — to think.

thanks (Dutch): thanks

Definitions

  1. thanks

Ancestry of “thanks”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishthanksUsed to express appreciation or gratitude; plural...
2Middle Englishthanks—
3Old Englishþancasthanks
4Proto-Germanicþankōs—
5Proto-Germanicþankazthought; mind; consideration; remembrance;...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanteng-to think
Every word from Proto-Indo-European teng- →